


A Hunter and Fisher

by CherryMilkshake



Category: Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Canon Compliant, Canon Expansion, Canon Universe, During Canon, Falling In Love, Hand Jobs, M/M, Major Original Character(s), Masturbation, Oral Sex, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Pet Names, Pre-Canon, Voyeurism
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-10-23
Updated: 2018-04-03
Packaged: 2019-01-21 21:17:09
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 30,997
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12466108
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CherryMilkshake/pseuds/CherryMilkshake
Summary: An Ander fisherman wishes to go to the Divine's Conclave. When he is separated from his traveling party, he meets an elf from Clan Lavellan. Just as he begins to think this was the Maker's purpose in stranding him, the world... goes insane.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This fic is... only barely really a fic? It's basically just OCs of mine in a Dragon Age setting, set around the early events of the game. I normally try to finish fics before I start posting them, but I've been working on this one pretty steadily and I know where Act 1 will end, and have plans for at least Act 2, so I figured I'd start posting it and gauge response.
> 
> I will say there probably **will** be canon characters eventually, but for now, it's all OCs, baby. 
> 
> I will be up front, if I don't really get any response, I'll stop posting. This isn't meant to be a threat, just a statement. Because it's not going into any of the big shipping tags, I doubt it's going to get a lot of attention. So if you enjoy it, _please_ do drop a kudos or comment and, if you're feeling really kind, share with your friends. (If do so on Tumblr, [tag me](http://cherrymilkshake.tumblr.com/)!)
> 
> Alright, that's enough of my preamble! Let's get to the story!

All Heike had wanted to do was attend the Divine's Conclave. For months, all he had heard about was the Mage-Templar War, and he'd seen its victims. Since the Wardens had put forth the announcement that all new apostates would be welcomed in their halls, they'd streamed into the Anderfels from as far away as Dairsmund, all of them to a one bearing the haunted, hunted look of people with nowhere to go.

Like any good Andrastian, Heike believed that magic was meant to serve man, that magic should be treated as any other weapon—dangerous in the wrong hands, but essential in the right ones. But now all he heard was that the templars had abandoned the Chantry in order to hunt mages like sheep in a farmer's field. He wanted to see for himself, but he was afraid of being caught up in the war, and become a victim of circumstance.

However, when the Divine announced her Conclave, an attempt at peace between the warring sides, he wanted to go.

"Please, Magda, I know it's dangerous, but I want to see what the Divine has to say." 

His elder sister had wrung her hands, clasping her long golden hair within them. "You know it's dangerous, Heike. What will you truly gain by going?"

He'd sat with the question a moment, taking full stock of his life. He was 24 and unmarried, living in a small cabin with his elder sister and younger sister—a sickly woman named Sonja who'd likely never be able to live on her own. Their youngest siblings, twins, were both apprenticed and moved out, presumably never to return. He eked out a living as a fisherman, living both on his catch and the money made by selling it, but the loss of his income wouldn't put undue pressure on his sisters, because he really only supported himself. Magda and Sonja were brewers, and if there was one good impact of the war in the little town of Lassan, it was a sharp increase in the sale of alcohol.

In truth, he just wanted to leave. Lassan had nothing to offer him but fish and reminders of lost love. "Freedom," he answered honestly. He looked up at Magda, who was staring at him with sad eyes.

"If you go, you may never come back," she said. "Are you truly okay with that? This is your home, Heike."

He took her hands, then hugged her tightly. "Yes, I am. But I love you, Magda. And I always will. I shall write."

She returned his embrace, tears leaking from her eyes. 

"What's wrong?" came Sonja's voice from the door. She was barefoot, wrapped in her heaviest winter blanket despite the cool of early fall. "Did something happen?"

"I'll be going to the Divine's Conclave," Heike explained. "There are some other pilgrims going. I'll ask to join them." 

Sonja nodded, her head almost wobbling on her thin neck. "We will miss you, Heike. You always brought light to this place."

Now he was the one one fighting back tears. Wordlessly, he rushed forward to hold his sister close. "You'll still have each other. And the sun." He laughed weakly as the tears now fell hard and fast.

She was so thin and small in his arms. She never could eat much, and was always pale and sickly. It was honestly a gift from Andraste that she had lived to 21. Would she die in his absence? Still, she held him in return with the brittle strength of an old woman as he cried. "Maker go with you, Heike. I know you will find His grace."

After a long moment, he pulled back, wiping his eyes with his sleeve. "Thank you, Sonja. We'll be leaving at the top of next week."

She nodded. "We should make sure you are well-supplied."

And so they had. His pack was heavy with provisions, as well as several canteens of good, dark beer. The other pilgrims going were all from the local Chantry—two Sisters, three laysisters, and one brother. They all had welcomed him warmly into their group, and they rode out of Lassan in high spirits. Heike had never noticed how much the town had smelled of fish until they were free of it. 

One of the laysisters, a woman named Ulla, had giggled. "I had trouble getting used to it when I arrived from Kassel." She sobered a bit. "I wonder if I'll miss it." Kassel was another river town, but it was much bigger than little Lassan. 

"You're not going back when this is finished?" Heike asked.

She shook her head. "I want to go to Val Royeaux and become a proper Sister, maybe even a Mother one day. I _could_ have gone to Hossberg, but when I heard the Divine herself would be mediating between the mages and templars… Well, it felt like something I had to see. And once it's done, I can go to Val Royeaux."

The other pilgrims nodded in agreement. 

Their journey was long, taking them through Tevinter, following the Imperial Highway south to Cumberland, where they would board a ship to Jader. The other two laysisters, Zella and Nele, had once been mercenaries, so they served as protection from wandering bandits, and even one scary evening, from lurking darkspawn. Heike was not helpless in these fights, but he lost his fishing spear to the hammer of a hurlock, before Zella managed to cut it down, which left him weaponless but for his skinning knife.

And so, after several weeks of travel, they reached Cumberland. The smell of the Waking Sea was heavy. Heike knew the smell of water, and yet, the _sea_ just overwhelmed him. As did the city itself. He had never before been to a large city. Without any reference, he had assumed it would be similar to Lassan or Kessel, just… larger. But that wasn't the case at all.

Everything loomed. Buildings were multi-storied, reaching upwards toward the sky. They were built next to and atop one another, seemingly falling _into_ one another in places. And the _people_. He had never seen so many in one place. Everywhere he looked, there were more people, elves and humans of all shape and size and color, all mixed up and jumbled together, each one going about their own business, seemingly without noticing the utter strangeness of their home. 

The pilgrims sold their cart and horses, and headed down to the docks to charter their boat. The docks were even busier than the city proper. The dock workers were mostly elves, their hair tied back in white or gray bandanas, leaving their long ears on display. Heike tried not to stare too obviously; Lassan didn't have many elves. It took the pilgrims some time to find a captain to speak to. 

He was a dark-skinned man, with thick, black hair that fell in neat locks over his shoulders. He had a neat beard and mustache that he played with idly as he spoke. Heike privately thought he was beautiful, but he didn't say that aloud. 

"For the seven of you?" He pulled at his beard. His voice was rich and warm, with an accent Heike had never heard before. "I'm going to have to charge you five gold a head, for the extra supplies I'll need to take on board, not to mention how the additional weight will slow us some."

Heike swallowed, pulled violently from his pleasant drifting. "Five gold?" he repeated. He'd never even seen that much money at once. 

"Ser, with all due respect," one of the Sisters said. "We're with the Chantry, and we're attending the Divine's Conclave." She showed him the Maker's mark on her necklace, and opened her bag to show him the robes.

"You're all with the Chantry?" the captain asked, eyeing the two men in particular. The brother, Claus, showed his robes as well. The captain looked to Heike, who looked away. "So you're not," he said. "Fine. Since you're Chantryfolk, we'll call it one gold a head for you, and five only for the blond." He nodded toward Heike. 

The pilgrims handed over their money. Ulla looked back at Heike. "Can you not…?"

He shook his head. "I've never even seen _three_ gold all in the same place before," he rasped. The pilgrims looked to one another and began trying to assess if they could pay for his passage. His ears burned with shame. But even between the six of them, they only had another three gold and seven silver. 

Ulla turned to the captain. "Is there any way you could take him for three?" she pleaded. 

To his credit, he did seem to honestly consider it, but eventually he shook his head. "Only taking the six of you for one each already puts me at zero profit. Any lower and I'll be shipping out on a loss, unless you can find me a paying shipping job by tomorrow morning. You're welcome to try some of the other ships. Maybe they'll have space for a cabin boy, if he's willing to work his way across to Jader. But I'll warn you, demand is high right now, as you can imagine. Lots of people going to the Conclave."

Ulla nodded and took Heike's hand. "Come on, dear, we've got a lot of captains to talk to."

She bartered and cajoled and begged for most of the day, but the answer was always the same—demand was high, Chantryfolk took priority, and all others had to pay top coin. 

As the sky began to take on a rosy hue, Heike pulled his hand free. "Ulla, I appreciate how hard you've tried, but I think this is the Maker telling me to seek elsewhere. I'll see if I can't find my way to another port. Even if I can't attend the Conclave, perhaps I can still visit the Temple."

"Are you certain, Heike?" She held his face between her palms. "I hate the idea of leaving you behind. I know you're a grown young man, but…" She bit her lip. "Perhaps I'll stay with you."

"Ulla, no. It's not your fault I'm poor." He had about one gold to his name, mostly in silver. It was enough money to live comfortably in Lassan for about six months. "You have your plans. Don't let me ruin them."

They met back up with the others at the inn. Zella and Nele had sought out jobs for the captain, but they too had come up empty. 

When morning came, the pilgrims all bid him a tearful goodbye, and he watched their ship glide out of the bustling port, feeling suddenly like a frightened child. But he took several deep, steadying breaths and went to the market. Perhaps he could find passage to Ferelden in Kirkwall. 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Let's meet our hunter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> POV shifts will occur every other chapter. Thus, I will try and post two chapters at a time.

It had been five weeks since the Keeper's First and three of their hunters had travelled south to attend the Divine's Conclave. Keeper Deshanna had contemplated whether or not to send them a long time, but in the end, she decided it was important to know if her clan would continue to be threatened by crazed templars, hunting "apostates" like they were vermin to be exterminated. 

Anlei had been closer than most to the First, Eloni. She was a friendly woman, but she kept people at a distance. However, the Keeper herself had raised Anlei from infancy, so he and Eloni had shared quarters as almost-siblings more often than not. Eloni was over 15 years his senior, however, so theirs was a strangely distant familial bond.

Her wife, Hanin, however, was sunshine incarnate. Her mark of Sylaise was bright blue against her rich, dark skin, and her brown eyes were always full of laughter. She was the closest thing Anlei would ever have to an auntie. 

It had been five weeks since they'd departed, and Anlei missed them like a piece of his heart. There had been no word, but that wasn't surprising. The Keeper had assured him time and again that it wasn't unexpected, considering how costly it was to get a message across the Waking Sea. 

He spent his time, when not hunting for the clan, wandering the river flats, finding hills high enough to spot the distant Minanter winding its way through the Marches, carrying river barges and goods he would never be able to own. 

On clear days he could just make out Starkhaven, glittering on the horizon. He'd never seen the inside of a human city. Sometimes he imagined what it was like. He had heard that some cities held _thousands_ of people, but he couldn't even imagine what such a thing was like. Were they like ants, all clustered and claustrophobic, crawling over one another? The cities were large, but how did they hold so many even so? 

Such daydreams were helpfully distracting from thoughts of Eloni, Hanin, Saren, and Taeron at the human Conclave. They had been sent as spies. Humans generally didn't like finding spies in their midst.

It was during one of his daydreams of Starkhaven, as he sat up on a hill, watching the glittering horizon, that he spotted a figure moving below, along the riverbed. It was a person, dressed in dirty, blueish clothing, the like of which Anlei had never seen. Slowly, so as not to draw attention, Anlei got to his feet and grabbed his bow, pulling an arrow from the quiver.

He crept down the hill slowly, keeping the figure in sight, squinting to discern if it were human or elf. Broad-shouldered, he observed. Likely a human man. He gripped the arrow tighter.

The man turned his head upward toward the sun, and seemed to slump, exhausted, to the ground. He began to gather water from the river, still oblivious to his pursuer. 

Anlei got closer. He was close enough now to confirm it _was_ a human man, with long golden hair that he was taking out of its tie, scratching his scalp. His pale skin was burnt red. Anlei winced in sympathetic pain, before steeling his expression and nocking an arrow. "State your business, shemlen," he said.

The man jumped and turned around on hand and knee, staring up at Anlei with the bluest eyes he had ever seen. "Sh-shemlen?" he repeated. "W-what is that?"

Anlei frowned and tightened his grip on his arrow. "That's what _you_ are. Not-elf."

"Oh. I've… never heard that before. Uh." Anlei watched his throat bob as he swallowed. "As for my business, um, I'm traveling. I wanted to go to the Divine's Conclave, but I can't get passage anywhere. So… I was hoping to settle for just visiting the Temple of Sacred Ashes, but I… can't seem to find a port. Or the sea for that matter." He seemed exhausted. Anlei's heart twinged with pity. "So I'm just… following the river, in the hopes of finding that at least."

Anlei relaxed his bow and stowed the arrow. "You're about three days' walk from the city of Wycome, stranger."

"Wycome?" His eyes turned upward, trying to remember something. "Oh Maker, I ended going far too northward. I was hoping to get to Kirkwall."

"Kirkwall?" Anlei repeated. "Mythal's mercy, stranger, that's on the other side of the Vimmarks." He pointed to the distant southern mountains, just visible through the day's haze. 

"Can you tell I've never been to the Free Marches before?" The stranger tried for a joke.

Anlei didn't laugh. "Where are you traveling from?"

Shifting to sit more comfortably, the stranger rested his hand on the ground. "Most recently, Markham. The innkeeper told me to continue east to Hircinia if I wanted to find sea passage." He sighed. "But I guess I started going northward at some point. At least it was north _east_ …" 

"Have you eaten?" The question was a common greeting in his clan, but he meant it honestly. The man looked like he was starving.

"I've been able to catch some fish here and there, but they're quick when I don't have a net." He smiled sadly. 

Anlei hesitated, unsure of whether he should voice his thoughts aloud in case the Keeper denied him. "Come with me," he said instead, gesturing for the stranger to stand. "Oh. What is your name?"

The human blinked, halfway to his feet already. "Oh, I'm Heike. And you are?"

"Anlei."

"It's a beautiful name." He smiled.

Anlei found himself turning away, his ears becoming hot. "Thanks. Come this way."

He led Heike back up the hill he'd walked down earlier and part of the way toward the clan. Plains became scraggly woods. "Stay here," he said, when they were in a clearing, five minutes' walk away from the aravels. "I will come back shortly."

Heike nodded and sat against a tree. Anlei kept one eye on him as he walked away, but the human didn't show any sign of either attempting to follow or leave. He jogged the rest of the way back to the clan.

He found Keeper Deshanna by the fire, helping Eloni's apprentice, Pivin, through some basic staff forms. She looked up as he approached and smiled. "Hello, Anlei. You have returned early."

"Yes, Keeper. I seek your permission for something."

She put a hand on Pivin's shoulder, encouraging him to continue, before coming to stand beside Anlei. "Yes, da'len? What do you need?"

"I found a human named Heike wandering near the river. He is lost and alone and half-starved. Could I bring him to camp for the evening, and then escort him to Wycome come morning?"

The Keeper scrutinized his face, her old eyes seeing more than the wrinkles around them would imply. She smiled after a moment. "Is he a handsome man?" she asked.

Anlei stiffened. "I assure you, I took no notice if he was or wasn't."

"Mmhm." She began to walk back to Pivin. "Bring him. I won't see a young man go hungry if I can do anything about it."

"Ma serannas, Keeper." He bowed. "I will return with him."

 

Heike was exactly where Anlei had left him, writing in a small book. He looked up as Anlei purposefully made a noise. His smile made Anlei's stomach move strangely, and he couldn't shake the Keeper's question— _Is he a handsome man?_

"You can spend the night with my clan," Anlei explained. "I had to leave you here in case the Keeper forbid it."

"Oh!" Heike seemed excited. "That's so kind of you! Thank you very much. Is there a special way to say that to the, the 'Keeper', you said?"

"Ma serannas," Anlei said, bemused by Heike's enthusiasm.

It took the human a few tries, but by the time he was brought before the Keeper, he was able to bow deeply and say, in a boorish but understandable accent, "Ma serannas, Keeper. I thank you very much for your hospitality."

She smiled at him, nodding her head. "Andaran atish’an, traveler. Be welcome. I am Keeper Deshanna, and this is Clan Lavellan. For tonight, you will eat with us and come morning, one of my hunters will guide you to Wycome. I have heard you lose your way easily." She winked.

Heike turned red. "Guilty as charged, ma'am. You honor me with your kindness." 

The other clansmen had gathered around the stranger. While humans were not an uncommon sight, it was rare for one to be invited into the camp. Anlei watched them for signs of hostility, but most were content so long as the Keeper was. After seeing that, yes, there was indeed a human spending the night, most of them wandered back to their own chores. 

"Your accent is unfamiliar to me, Traveler Heike," Keeper Deshanna said, leading him to sit by the fire. Anlei trailed behind, watching and listening. "Where are you from?"

So, by the fire, Heike told of his journey from the Anderfels—a land so distant, Anlei sometimes half-wondered if it were real. Several of the younger members of the clan gathered around the fire to listen, and by the time he finished, Heike looked around in surprise at the number of people who had come. He smiled at them, then at the Keeper. "Keeper, I have beer from my sisters' brewery. If I may, I'd love to share it with your clan. I only have enough for everyone to have a sip, but I wish to give you a gift as thanks." 

The Keeper called for cups to be brought and Heike poured a small amount of dark liquid from canteens in his bag. Ionne, the leader of the warriors, drank first, in case of poison, but she smiled as she pulled the cup from his lips. "It is good. Ma serannas, traveler."

Everyone else gathered close after that, holding out their cups. The children all took the tiniest sips, and pulled away at the bitterness, leading the adults to laugh. Heike met Anlei's gaze and waved him over. "There's only a bit left in this one. Please." He held out the canteen. 

Anlei drank. It was bitter, but also a bit nutty and bready. He tipped the canteen up, trying to get the last few drops. When he handed it back, Heike was beaming at him, before he was distracted by the others who had yet to try any. He produced another canteen from his bag and distributed more beer. Anlei pulled back toward the Keeper. 

"He is a kind man," she commented, watching him. "And very polite. If more humans were like him, I wonder if we'd even be in conflict."

Anlei nodded. "I am sorry he was unable to go to the Conclave, but I am happy it meant we could meet."

Keeper Deshanna gave him a sly smile. "And the man _is_ handsome, if you were wondering," she said dryly.

Ears burning, Anlei forced his gaze to the ground. 

"There is no shame in noticing it, da'len," the Keeper said softly, stroking his hair. 

He looked up at her in shock. "He's a _shemlen_." 

"And? Should we not notice when the shemlen look nice?"

"But… Eloni's mother—" 

The Keeper shook her head, cutting him off. "She made her decision. Though it saddened us, we cannot let it embitter us. I sincerely hope she is happy with her human man. Eloni does not share that opinion, but she has always had more at stake in that than I. You do not need to share in her bitterness, Anlei."

"I have enough of my own?" he asked sourly. 

She pulled him into a hug, kissing his temple. "We don't know what became of your parents, Anlei. That you were abandoned is only one possibility among many." They were old words of comfort, and Anlei had ceased to believe them long ago.

"Only the most likely one," he muttered, but Keeper Deshanna only shushed him and stroked his hair. He watched Heike as he finished passing out his family's beer, laughing and smiling with his clan. The sight of it calmed him more than the Keeper's touch. 

As if sensing his gaze, Heike looked towards him, smiling as their eyes met. Before he realized it, he was smiling back. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Keeper Deshanna smirk.

After Heike's gift, they ate dinner. The rabbits were fat this time of year and made a fine stew mixed with the vegetables and herbs that grew in the wood. The Keeper bade Heike sit beside her, Anlei on her other side, before she got up to get something from her aravel and then sat on Anlei's _other_ side, putting the two of them together. He didn't know whether to be grateful or to resent her meddling.

"Your clan is so friendly," Heike said, sipping his stew. "I'd heard that wild elves were unfriendly to humans."

"'Wild' elves?" Anlei repeated sharply.

Heike winced apologetically. "Is that not the correct term?"

"We use 'Dalish'." Anlei watched him warily, but Heike was nodding, clearly trying to commit that to memory.

"Dalish. Ah! Because you're from the Dales! That makes perfect sense. I apologize. But I had heard that Dalish elves were unfriendly to humans. Your clan has completely turned that on its head!"

"It depends on the clan," Anlei said, digging through his bowl for more meat. "Some are, some aren't. We trade regularly with folk from Wycome, so we can't afford to be too unfriendly. And Keeper Deshanna favors peaceful coexistence." 

She smiled at them.

"Some clans do outright kill humans who wander too close. These are usually clans who deal regularly with slavers or aggressive humans though. It's not unprovoked." He tried to keep his voice neutral, but he imagined some sharpness cut through.

"Slavers from Tevinter, I imagine." Heike was calm about it. Anlei supposed, since the Anderfels were right on the border with Tevinter, he was more familiar with how that country did "business".

Anlei shrugged. "Most of the time, though there are plenty in Orlais as well. Lots of aggressive humans in the Dales as well." He frowned at his dinner. 

Heike sat quietly for a moment. "That's terrible. I wish there was something I could do."

"Well, you're already doing something," Anlei said quietly, and Heike looked at him in surprise. "You've treated us with gratitude and respect, and have taken correction well. That's already more than most. If other humans follow your example, perhaps one day there can be true peace."

"That's the aim to strive for, huh?" Heike sipped his stew and watched the fire, his eyes not quite so blue in the gathering dark. "I hope it's a day we live to see."

Anlei couldn't bring himself to deny his optimism. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Currently, I'm aiming for a biweekly update schedule!


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Heike wakes in an unfamiliar place and learns about some unfamiliar gods.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So... you may have noticed the rating went from M to E.
> 
> I do not apologize.

Heike woke to the sound of chirping birds. It took him a few moments to register where he was. A Dalish elven (elfish?) camp, lying on a worn, but comfortable bedroll inside one of the beautiful landships the elves used to travel.

It was the largest and most decorated of the ships—the Keeper's, their chieftess. She had an actual bed behind a curtain on one side of the ship. His guide, Anlei, slept on a bedroll beside the curtain. And he, Heike, was beside him, listening to the morning chorus and the soft snuffling of the Keeper, who appeared to be waking up herself. 

Heike sat up and looked around. It was easier to see now that daylight was streaming in through the high, uncovered windows. Small oddities were strewn over a desk, along with a short stack of very old books. There was a lovely bow hung up on one wall, below hooks that were clearly empty of some other weapon or decoration. Below the bow, a woven quiver, stocked with blue-feathered arrows. 

The Keeper, dressed only in a loose sleeping robe, appeared from behind her curtain. "Good morning, traveler. It seems the weather is fine for your journey." Her brown skin was loose and curled, years heavy on her face, and yet her voice was young and her eyes twinkled. The facial markings that Heike had taken for paint, however, were unsmudged by her rest.

"Yes," he said, glancing down as Anlei began to stir at the sound of voices. This elf was stunningly pretty in the morning light. The daylight made his black hair glitter like noon on a still lake and as his eyes opened, Heike was struck all over again by the color of spring. 

Anlei yawned as he rose up on his knees, rubbing his face. His markings too, were unsmudged. Surely they weren't… tattooes? "Good morning, Keeper, Heike," he said, looking at them both.

The Keeper regarded him with a fond, motherly smile. "Good morning. Pack well. The journey to Wycome often has very changeable weather."

Anlei snorted, but he smiled at her. "I'm aware, hahren. Thank you."

"Wait, _you_ are to remain my guide?" Heike asked. He got to spend more time quietly admiring the gorgeous man?

Anlei looked suddenly wary. "If you do not object."

"N-none! No objection from me!" He grinned. "I didn't think I'd be so lucky."

Anlei looked away, but the tips of his ears were pink where they parted the fall of his hair. "We should go wash up and let the Keeper dress. Come, I'll show you the way."

Heike followed him out into the sun proper. The camp was beginning to come to life—some people bringing up the fire, others laying out tools and materials for crafting. Anlei took him to a small stream, where others of the clan had gathered to wash their faces and hands to greet the day. The water was cold and refreshing as he wiped sweat away, rubbed the film off his teeth. He missed his stick of cinnamon to chew on, but he'd used it up some time ago. 

Even freshly washed, the delicate green lines remained on Anlei's face. "So, they _are_ tattooes," Heike said wonderingly.

Anlei looked at him over the rag he was using to dry himself. "Did you not know? I thought most humans were familiar with Dalish 'bloodwriting'."

"I always assumed they were rumors. It seemed like something made up, like that you steal children in the night for blood magic rituals."

Anlei smiled, and Heike's stomach wriggled. Yes, he was definitely prettier in the daylight. "Yeah, that one's definitely not true. I guess if you don't know any Dalish, it's hard to separate fact from fiction. I'm glad you came down on the fiction side if those are the stories told."

"Do they hurt?"

"Not anymore, but getting them? Oh yes. But it's a point of pride not to cry out."

A brown-haired woman with _half her face_ solidly tattooed laughed and slung an arm around Anlei. "Unless you're devoted to Elgar'nan." She indicated her face with her free hand. "Then, you scream like a woman in birth but no one laughs at you because you undertook the longest and most painful one." 

Heike tried to imagine _needles in his face_ and felt a bit weak-kneed. "'Elgar'nan'?" he repeated instead.

"Oh, that's right, you don't know the gods." The woman nudged Anlei. "You're his guide! You can teach him."

"I was hoping just to get him some breakfast and get going," he mumbled.

"You're so boring sometimes, Anlei. Go on, teach the handsome shemlen elfy things."

Heike felt a blush creep up his face. "Now, now, 'handsome' is a bit much," he said quickly. "I promise you, I'm quite average-looking."

The woman stared. "If your village considers you 'average', clearly I'm living near the wrong shem town." 

"Suka!" Anlei pushed her.

She held up her hands to block him. "What?" she asked innocently. "Anyway, go, eat, teach." 

Anlei shook his head and brought Heike to where several people were setting out food near the fire. "Help yourself," he said to Heike, picking up several eggs and some dried meat. "And, if you like, I can tell you about the Creators."

Heike gathered up some food of his own. "I'd like that very much," he said excitedly. He enjoyed the sound of Anlei's voice—and learning more about these mysterious elves, of course. He began picking the shell off one of his eggs.

"First," Anlei said, taking a bite out of his meat as he gestured to his face. "These marks as called _vallaslin_. Each design relates to one of the gods we worship. When we reach adulthood, we meditate on which god to devote ourselves to. For some, they choose a Creator they aspire to. Others do it based on the path they seek in life. And _others_ choose a reminder." At this, Anlei ran his finger over the long lines on his nose.

"Vallasin," Heike repeated.

"VallasLin." Anlei opened his mouth wide to show the curl of his tongue. 

Heike repeated it until Anlei was satisfied. Then he said, "Come with me."

To Heike's surprise, Anlei led him first to the edge of camp, where a wooden mask carved in the shape of a wolf's head hung from a tree branch. "I figured first I'd show you the god who is not worshipped." The mask swung slightly in a breeze. "This is Fen'Harel, the Dread Wolf. He betrayed his kin, the Creators, trapping them with trickery and leading to the downfall of Arlathan. We respect his cunning, and fear it, but he does not get our worship."

Heike nodded and followed him back into the camp. Next, two wooden statues, side by side in front of the Keeper's aravel. The first, a woman wearing a dragon's face as a mask, her outstretched arms becoming a dragon's wings. The second, a man with a skull instead of a face, holding an orb carved with long lines that made Heike think it was meant to be a star. "Mythal, All-Mother," Anlei explained, lightly touching her wing. "She protects us and brings justice to those who seek it." He turned his hand over and gestured to the man. "Elgar'nan, All-Father. Born of the sun, he was the first. His flames bring vengeance." He looked around. "Ahh, Galhen! Can you look this way a moment?" 

The man turned, eyebrow raised. 

"Mythal's mark," Anlei explained, indicating the vein-like wings that were drawn over the man's cheeks and forehead. Galhen modeled a bit before going back to what he was doing. "And you saw Suka's. That's the mark of Elgar'nan."

Heike nodded. "Justice and vengeance as mother and father, huh?" He looked at the statues. "Heavy."

The smile Anlei gave him in return wasn't light either. "We're only getting started," he said.

Next, they went to the craftsmen, who were busily repairing bows and making arrows. Anlei pointed to a wooden icon hanging over their tent. It depicted a hand holding a hammer. "June," Anlei said. "God of crafts and building."

One of the craftsmen looked up and smiled. "Teaching the shemlen, huh?" Heike noticed the lines on his face, weaving together across his forehead. The man smiled and circled his vallaslin with a finger, then pointed up at June's icon.

"Doing my best," Anlei said. He looked at Heike. "Do you remember the ones I showed you thus far?"

"June—crafts. Elgar'nan—father, vengeance. Mythal—mother, justice. Fen'Harel, uh, betrayer?" 

The smile made Heike feel better about the way the names sounded coming out of his mouth—odd and unreal and foreign. He much prefered when Anlei said them. "You're doing well," he said.

They walked to the fire, where Anlei pointed at small stone at the corner. When Heike peered closer, he realized that it was a round little woman, holding a bowl. "Sylaise," Anlei said. "Goddess of the hearth and of…" He paused for a word, looking up toward the treetops. "Home… jobs?" he tried. "Like, weaving and childbirth. Those sort of things."

"Like brewing?" Heike looked at her, tilting his head. 

Anlei smiled. "Yeah, I would imagine so."

"What's her mark like?"

Anlei looked around, and ended up waving over an older man. "Can he see your vallaslin, Elros?" The man turned and Heike took in his warm brown skin and gentle, amber eyes. The years were heavy on his face, and Heike suspected the man was not quite so old as he looked.

"Of course." He had a soft, pleasant voice. He walked toward them, obligingly standing close enough for Heike to see the smokey, viney curves that rose up over one eye. 

Anlei thanked him and brought Heike down toward the stream, where a woman was standing among the small, white deer Heike knew to be called 'halla'. There was another stone icon, of a halla, this one perched on a low tree branch. 

"Ghilan'nain," Anlei said. "Mother of the halla and the one who guides our wandering."

The woman smiled at Heike. Her vallaslin resembled her charges, its antlers stretching out over her forehead. 

"And Andruil," she said, pointing to a wooden statue near the camp's boundary. An elven woman holding a bow, a hawk on her shoulder. 

"Goddess of the hunt," Anlei explained. "Most of the hunters bear her mark. You saw it on Ionne, the woman who first tasted your beer. It looks like a bow." He traced the design on his face. "Only two more now." He bid the halla-keeper goodbye and started walking back toward camp.

"You haven't told me about yours yet," Heike noted. 

Anlei smiled. "Best for last."

It was another set of two. A wooden statue of an owl, flanked by two ravens. Anlei touched the owl. "Falon'Din, the guide of the dead. Once, when we Elvhen were immortal, he led those who wished for the rest of _uthenera_ —the long sleep—deep into the Beyond. But now, he leads us beyond the Veil and to death. Not many take up his vallaslin, but the Keeper bears it."

Heike thought about the delicate, tree-like design on the Keeper's face and nodded. 

"Finally—" Anlei gestured to the ravens. "Falon'Din's brother, Dirthamen. Keeper of knowledge and of secrets." He touched the face of his vallaslin. It did indeed resemble a raven, wings outstretched. The lines followed the bridge of his nose, pointing down at the prominent bow of his lips, before resuming below them, light, feathery lines spread across his chin. "So, can you recite them all?"

Heike took a deep breath. "Dirthamen. Falon'Din. Sylaise. Mythal. Elgar'nan. June. Fen'Harel." He stopped. " _Scheisse._ Uh. An. Andr…"

"Andruil. One more."

"Ghilan. Ghilen. Ghila." He chewed his lip.

"Ghilan'nain," Anlei corrected gently. 

Heike's face burned and he stared down at the ground. 

He almost jumped out of his skin when Anlei patted his shoulder, drawing his eyes back up. "I'd have been shocked if you've remembered them all immediately. As such, as long as you learned _something_ , I'm content." The small little pleased smile on his face was dazzling. Heike had to tear his gaze away. 

Anlei started back toward the Keeper's aravel. "Are you ready to leave, Heike?" His name in that voice made his toes curl and his lips ache to be kissed.

"Ready when you are!" he said brightly and jogged to catch up.

+++

Anlei slung the bow from the Keeper's aravel over his shoulder, along with two quivers of arrows and a pack of supplies. Heike's pack had been similarly supplied at the Keeper's insistence. He had tried to pay her, but she had refused him every time. "Keep your coin, traveler. Your company was payment enough."

She'd looked at Anlei at this, and some unspoken conversation was had between them. Eventually, Anlei turned away from her, somehow angry. "Come on, Heike. It's already past noon. If you want to spend only two nights camping, we'll need to make good time."

"Ma serannas, Keeper," Heike said again. "For all the kindness you've shown me."

"Dareth shiral. Travel safely. And Anlei?"

Anlei turned. 

"If you can find news of the Conclave, I would like to hear it."

He nodded. "Ma nuvinen, Keeper. Dareth shiral."

They soon left the little grove of trees and returned to open plains. Anlei seemed on edge, perhaps still angry at whatever silent communication he'd had with the Keeper?

Heike decided to break the tension. "What is it that you both said? Darith?"

Anlei seemed to relax a little. "Dareth shiral. It means 'farewell'."

"Why use the elvish language? Why not just use Trade?"

He wished he could take it back as he watched Anlei's shoulders tense. "We seek to rebuild what was lost at Halamshiral. That includes our language. The Keeper and Eloni speak it better than I."

"Eloni?"

"The Keeper's apprentice. You met her father earlier today—Elros, with Sylaise's vallaslin. He's a healer."

He remembered the man, the one who'd seemed older than his years. "If you live with the Keeper, why has she not taught you?"

Anlei shrugged. "Because I'm not her apprentice, nor her son, I suppose," he said, bitterness creeping into his voice. He sighed. "That's unfair. I don't have much of a head for studying. The Keeper and Eloni—and now Eloni's apprentice, Pivin—they can spend hours sitting and deciphering old texts, cataloguing words and events and whatever else they can find. I just… don't have the patience for that. I'm restless." His lips twisted in some semblance of a smile, but it didn't reach his eyes.

Heike reached out to touch his shoulder, connect them together somehow, but he drew back when Anlei spoke again.

"I'm also not a mage, so I couldn't be the Keeper's apprentice, even if I wanted to be."

"Really? Are all Keepers mages?"

Anlei nodded. "They're the best of us. The closest to our true selves. Those of us without magic…" He shrugged.

Heike had never thought of mages as being 'best' of anything. Indeed, magic seemed a curse, thrust upon a child by the Maker's whim—cursed to be a danger, cursed to serve. "Don't you get scared? That perhaps your Keeper will be corrupted? Or possessed?"

"No. Keepers spend years in training to avoid precisely that. ...Truly, it's the Firsts who most often fall prey to demons." There was some story he held back. 

"Do you fear your Eloni?" Heike asked, trying to figure it out.

Anlei shook his head. "No, Eloni is very controlled. In truth, perhaps too much so." He chuckled. "Eloni could outwit the Dread Wolf himself, I bet. Especially if Hanin is there to help her keep her temper."

"Hanin?"

"Her wife. Sorry, I keep talking to you like you know my clan." He looked over his shoulder apologetically. "I'm not used to interacting with shemlen this much. Normally, I hang back at camp while others handle trading with Wycome and such."

"Any particular reason?" 

Anlei shrugged. "Don't really like humans much."

It was a simple sentence, with light delivery, and yet it felt like a punch to the gut. Heike half-wondered if he'd vomit from it. "I-I see."

Heike almost bumped into the elf as he suddenly stopped and turned. "Wait, I'm sorry. I didn't mean you. You've been wonderful, Heike." He took Heike's hand. "Sorry. I wasn't thinking. Again." He made a face.

The relief was palpable. "Don't worry. I'm sure the people of Wycome aren't quite as charming as me."

Anlei laughed at that and resumed walking, letting Heike's hand go. The warmth of him lingered and Heike closed his hand into a fist, trying to hold onto it as long as he could. 

Silently, he chastised himself. Anlei was beautiful and clearly good-natured, but nothing was going to happen between them. Mooning over him like this was going to go nowhere, except make Anlei uncomfortable if he found out. 

After walking quietly for a while longer, Anlei began asking him questions about Lassan and the Anderfels, and soon they'd fallen into easy conversation as Heike told stories. When they stopped for the night, Anlei was pleased with their progress. "We should only have to camp again tomorrow night. After that, we'll be in Wycome and you'll be able to sleep in a bed. Shemlen like those, right?"

Heike chuckled and smiled at the thought of a real bed, even a straw one. "Yes, that would be lovely. You're welcome to join me, if you like." A blush crawled up his face. "A-at an inn, I mean! Not in my bed!! I mean, not that you'd be unwelc— Oh Maker, I'm so sorry." He buried his face in his hands. 

He peeked out between his fingers. If he wasn't mistaken, Anlei looked a bit pink himself, in the light of the campfire. Their eyes met for a long moment before Heike looked away. "I've never been inside Wycome," Anlei said after a moment. "Might be interesting."

Heike licked his lips. "Would my… company be unwelcome?"

The sight of Anlei's uncertainty _did_ something to his chest, especially when the elf looked up at him through his long, dark lashes, the firelight making the green of his eyes flash like sparks. A pink tongue peeked out briefly from between slightly parted lips. "I… have found your company tolerable thus far."

Emboldened, Heike crept closer, afraid to stand up entirely. Anlei's gaze followed him carefully, until they were nose to nose. "Tell me to stop and I will," Heike murmured.

Anlei said nothing, only watched him, his breathing shallow. 

"Last chance." Their lips were almost touching. 

In a sudden flurry of movement, Anlei closed the gap himself. Heike gasped as he was shoved to the grass, Anlei straddling his waist as they kissed. Gathering what remained of his wits, Heike wrapped his arms around Anlei's shoulders, pulling him closer. When that wasn't enough, he used his legs, dragging their hips together.

Anlei moaned into his mouth, grinding mercilessly against him. Heike half-expected the elf to rip his clothes off, but instead he pulled away, panting, a long thread of saliva stretching between them before it broke and fell back onto Heike's chin. "Ir abelas," he whispered. "I'm sorry." 

"Sorry?" Heike laughed nervously, letting his legs drop to the ground. "Please don't be." 

Anlei stood up, shaking. "No, I am sorry." He rubbed his arms. "I shouldn't have— I should have asked you to stop. Nothing is going to come of this."

 _Does something_ have _to come of this?_ a voice somewhere near Heike's dick asked, but Heike quieted it. "If that's what you want, Anlei," he said instead. His lips tingled with remembered warmth and the coolness of a breeze on wet skin. 

"You're a _human_ ," Anlei said. "You can't live with the clan. And, Mythal's mercy, I'm not about to drop my whole life to just… run off with some. Some." He gestured at Heike, apparently not finding words adequate enough to describe his unsuitability. 

"Of course," Heike said carefully. He licked his lips, tasting Anlei lingering there. He was right of course. Heike was going to Ferelden. And yes, while he could stay longer if he wished, Anlei wasn't going to up and leave the only family and friends he's known to just… wander with him around the Free Marches. They'd barely known each other three days.

"I'm sorry," Anlei said again.

"I told you, don't be. I understand. Though I think I should, er, walk this off." He stood up, wobbling a bit as the blood rushed from his head. 

"Be careful," Anlei murmured.

Heike gave him a smile, but it felt strained. "I will." 

As soon as he felt he was far enough away, he loosed himself from his trousers and took himself in hand. He whimpered as he came and if tears fell at the same time, well, it wasn't _that_ strange, was it?


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Secrets are told and confessions are made. And then the world goes insane.

Anlei had ruined everything. Their comfortable rapport had collapsed into tense, awkward silence. He knew apologizing again wouldn't make it better, but he didn't know what else to do. He walked with his hands buried in the soft, worn fabric of his tunic. 

"So. I told you about my sisters," Heike said after what felt like hours of nothing but the wind for conversation. "But I never told you about my father."

Anlei looked over his shoulder at him. "No, you didn't," he said carefully.

"He's a fisherman." Heike chuckled. "It's a bit of a family profession. It's even in the name; I'm Heike Fischer according to the Chantry records. I suppose Dalish use their clan name?"

Anlei shook his head. "It depends. Some clans, yes. Others use the name of your same-sex parent. Clan Lavellan does that. But if you don't have parents." He balled his fists tighter. "Then you use the clan name."

"So, you're Anlei Lavellan." His voice was gentle, obviously putting it together. Anlei looked nothing like the Keeper after all. He was pale and reedy, with long _everything_ —legs, arms, face. She was dark-skinned, like most of the clan, with broad shoulders and hips. The idea of the Keeper giving birth to him was laughable. And once that had been noticed, it was easy enough to guess from there. 

He nodded. 

"May I ask why?" 

The question was asked with care, and it was clear a 'no' would be respected. The matter would be dropped and… they'd fall back into silence. "It's simple enough," Anlei said with a shrug. "I was a baby found in the woods. The clan took pity on me and took me in. The Keeper raised me."

"Could you not take her name then?"

Anlei shook his head. "One, she's not the same sex, so it would be very odd if I did, though I suppose not completely unprecedented. But two, she's not my mother. She's my Keeper."

He risked a glance back at the expression on Heike's face. Expecting pity, he was pleasantly surprised to instead see something akin to understanding. "My mother left us when we were young," he said. "I remember her a bit, but not much. I was only six or seven years old. My elder sister, Magda—eight years my senior—took it upon herself to mother us as best she knew how. My father…" He looked out over the plains. "My father took her leaving hard. Some days, he didn't come home, and we feared the worst. But he always came back, eventually."

Heike stepped forward and slowly took Anlei's hand. "So, I understand a bit of how you feel. I was also raised by… someone who wasn't my parents. It's strange for me. Bearing his name when really, he has done very little for me, aside from put money in Magda's hands. I think it's nice that you can use your clan's name. Really, your family is quite large." He smiled.

Anlei smiled back and looked down at their joined hands. "I suppose that's true in a fashion. Is your village so large that you didn't know the others?"

Heike thought about it. "I knew them, but I was… always tarred by my parents' reputations. My mother for impropriety, my father for his frequent absences. Some of the older people in the village pitied us, and looked after us, especially when the twins were young. But it's… uncomfortable, being pitied, as you grow up. You start to feel like the negative things are all anyone knows about you."

That was a good way to put it. Anlei nodded. "Yes, precisely. I am forever 'the boy the Keeper saved'. I am grateful, but…"

"But it is not a story you wish to be dominated by," Heike finished. "I suppose that's another thing we have in common then. Could you earn a name, perhaps?"

"Earn one? What do you mean?"

Heike chewed on the edge of his thumb. "Sometimes people have descriptors, instead of family names. Like King Johann the Great or Queen Maria the Wise. So, perhaps you could be something like… Anlei the Swift?"

Anlei considered it. "How does one earn a name like that?"

"Great deeds, normally. King Johann the Great united the Anderfels after the end of the First Blight, and Queen Maria the Wise gave the Wardens the land on which to build their fortress, Weisshaupt."

Anlei had certainly never done anything like that. He lived a boring life, all things said. Honestly, this little adventure with Heike was the most exciting thing to happen to him directly that he could remember. "I shall have to commit some great act of heroism then?" he confirmed.

Heike shrugged. "I imagine so, but I think it would be enough if another person gave you such a name." He smiled and opened his mouth to say something more, but he paled and closed it again, looking away. His hand pulled free of Anlei's hold.

"What is it?" he asked. "Are you sick?"

Heike shook his head. "No, sorry, it's nothing. My fault. Was about to say something I shouldn't." He smiled weakly. 

Anlei's stomach clenched. A flirtation then. He supposed that Heike now felt they were unwelcome. (And they should have been. But all Anlei could think was how much he wanted to hear them.) 

They fell back into silence and Anlei cursed himself in his heart. 

+++

They huddled close to the campfire that night. The temperature had dropped significantly with the sunset, and Anlei curled his fingers under his tunic to warm them. Heike, who had been watching the fire silently, raised his eyes to Anlei's face. "Why did you choose the god of secrets for your vallaslin?" he asked.

Anlei traced the familiar lines. "It's… a reminder. That life is full of mysteries, many of which will never be solved. Who are my parents? Where was I born? Why was I left? I will probably never know. Dirthamen's mark reminds me that closure is often found in stories, but not often in life. I must live with not knowing, with that ambiguity."

Heike nodded. "We must live with certainty as well. For instance, I know that my mother loved her new partner more than her children. And that is a knowledge I will carry with me until I die."

Anlei poked at the fire. "Yes. Knowledge and secrets. Certainty and ambiguity. We often have little control over what we know or don't. We have to live with not knowing things we seek to find, and not forgetting the things we seek to lose." 

After a moment, Heike stood. "Here is something you should know. I… find you to be incredibly beautiful, without and within. I don't want to be separated from you. And I know that scares you, but I can no longer keep it secret."

"We hardly know each other," Anlei mumbled, feeling the heat in his face. 

"And yet I still desire your company."

Anlei frowned. "And what sort of 'company' do you seek?" he asked in a low voice, anger seeping in. "Am I to be your _toy_ for a night? A story for you to tell on your travels about how you met an elven man and _fucked_ him?" 

In his defense, Heike seemed genuinely surprised by the accusation. "What? No! Anlei…" He knelt back down, near Anlei's knee. "Is that what you think of me? That I would use you like that?"

"I don't _know_ you," Anlei insisted, ignoring the pang in his heart at the hurt that statement left in Heike's eyes.

"I know that you are hurt. I know you feel lost among your clan, but you'd feel worse without them. I know you miss those who have gone to Ferelden, and that you are curious about the world beyond your clan, but you fear it will hurt you even worse." Heike put a hand on Anlei's knee. "I know that you are also curious about _me_."

"And what do I know about you?" Anlei tried to sneer, but he couldn't quite bring himself to do it. 

Heike looked earnest. "Well? Tell me."

Anlei met his gaze. "I know you are thoughtful and kind. People probably take advantage of that." Heike's lips twisted in discomfort. "I know you wanted to see the world, which is how you ended up here, so far from any home you've ever known. You feel beholden to your sister for her sacrifice after your mother's departure, and yet, simultaneously, a need to free her from the burden of you." The words kept coming, and Anlei began to realize _how much_ he'd come to know in just a short time. "I know you have trouble containing yourself, and spend a lot of time putting your foot in your mouth, so you've learned to roll with the consequences of your words. And…" Anlei swallowed. "I know you're too kind to use someone for purely sexual motive."

They stared at each other for a long moment. Heike's grip tightened on Anlei's knee. "If we do this, I wish to be in a relationship with you, Anlei. I know it will not be easy. But I can live in Wycome. We can meet often. I will not abandon you without a word, Anlei."

Turning, Anlei put his hands on either side of Heike's face, drawing him into a kiss. It was not the frenzied uncertainty of the night before, but something slower and softer, weightier. When they separated, Heike's eyes were searching Anlei's, perhaps for signs of a desire to stop. 

Anlei plunged his fingers into Heike's long hair, freeing it from its tie, letting it flutter down in soft, golden waves, framing his face against the firelight. He smiled and pulled Heike into another kiss. 

They did not have sex. Instead they slept nestled against one another beside the fire, and that night, Anlei's dreams were warm and soft and safe. 

+++

When Anlei woke, it was to Heike shifting around, getting up and doing his morning business in the river nearby. Anlei watched his back, admiring the curve of his shoulders as he finished and stretched, sighing as his spine popped loud enough for Anlei to hear over the water. 

They packed up camp and went back to walking, chatting amiably as they did. Wycome was visible now, against the glitter of the ocean on the horizon.

The ground began to shake under their feet, the river sloshing as its path was disturbed. There was strange sound behind them, almost an explosion. Anlei turned quickly, bow already in hand. About a hundred feet behind them there was now a glowing green… something. As Anlei stared into it, he saw strange visions, like mirrors reflecting each other again and again. Then, the mirrors shifted, and _something_ was being pushed out of the—thing. For a moment, it was nothing but light, but soon it flashed brightly, searing Anlei's eyes, and where the light had been, there was a strange creature. 

It was person-like in shape, but it seemed to be shrouded, its neck overlong, its eyes burning white beneath the wrap. It began to slowly make its way toward them, it's fingers too long, claw-tipped. 

Heike was whimpering behind him. "Wh-wh-what is that?" he said in a high-pitched whisper.

Another light came through the green, changing into another shrouded creature that began to slowly move toward them. "Heike," Anlei said, doing his best to keep his voice level. "Heike, you need to run on to town. Fetch whatever guards they have. Or… whoever can at least identify these things."

"And what are _you_ going to do?" he squeaked.

"I'm going to try to slow them down." He took aim for the nearest one's eyes.

"But—"

"Heike, go!" He loosed the arrow, hitting in its long neck. The creature didn't seem that bothered by it, moving relentlessly forward. He heard Heike start to run. 

Scanning the area, Anlei jogged backward, keeping the creatures in sight, hoping they would follow him and not Heike. He shot another arrow. This time the creature moaned as it was struck, and he felt a wash of exhaustion hit him, making his arms tremble. He pushed through it and shot again, this time hitting the creature's glowing eye. It made a horrible noise and collapsed into dust, then became light again, getting drawn back into the glowing green.

The second one didn't seem to notice. It was following Heike.

Anlei shot its head, making it turn. Two more flashes of light from the green. Another shrouded creature. But the second became something else, person-shaped but the same glowing green as the source. It threw magic at Anlei, who yelled as he dived out of the way. 

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Heike turn around for a moment, the whites of his eyes luminous in his fear. 

"Go!!" Anlei shouted, and shot an arrow at the magic-thrower. It passed harmlessly through. Anlei swore and backed up again as the two shrouded monsters advanced on his position. 

Another flash. Another shrouded monster.

He couldn't defeat them all. Glancing back to make sure Heike had good distance on him, he turned and sprinted away, keeping a wide horizontal distance between them, listening desperately for the crackle of another magical blow. The shrouded ones were at least slow. 

There was a flash of green energy beneath his feet, and he braced for the pain of an attack, but he passed harmlessly through. He kept running, but when he glanced back, he saw he was no longer being pursued. It appeared that the flash of energy was keeping them at bay, but Anlei didn't know for how long. 

His heart hammering frantically against his ribs, he followed the gold of Heike's hair all the way to Wycome.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For those of you reading, would you like me to continue the two chapters biweekly or move to a one chapter a week schedule?


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The boys enter Wycome.

Heike panted, clutching his side as he reached the gate of Wycome. One of the guards stepped forward. "Are you alright, son?" he asked kindly, his gray beard twitching as he spoke.

"M-monsters!" Heike gasped and pointed back the way he'd come, the green… doorway winking in the distance. He could see Anlei running toward the town. Thank the Maker. "Out of there!"

There was a commotion in the town. "What in Andraste's name—" The guard turned as another guardsman burst through the door. 

"Lieutenant Hurley! A ship was attacked by demons out on the water! They claim a green _hole_ in the world just opened up over their deck, ser! One sailor is dead and some dock workers are claiming that there are demons coming up out of the water!"

The man, Lieutenant Hurley turned to Heike. "Were you attacked by demons?" he asked sharply.

"I don't know, ser. I've never seen one," he said miserably. "They were certainly creatures I've never seen before."

Anlei arrived, out of breath, but unharmed—at least not that Heike could see. "They were stopped by some sort of barrier," he said to the guard, putting a hand on Heike's shoulder to steady himself. "But I don't know if it will last."

"Were they demons?" Lieutenant Hurley asked again, but like Heike, Anlei shook his head. "I have no idea what they were. I've never seen the like."

The lieutenant growled to himself, running his fingers through his hair. "And we've no templars to investigate because they all went mad. Get inside the city, boys. I have to get a watch going and inform the duke of what's happening."

Anlei looked like he was going to object, but Heike grabbed his hand and pulled him forward into the city proper. The guards shut the gate behind them.

With a sharp yank, Anlei pulled himself free. "I need to inform the clan!" he said.

Heike grabbed his hands again. "Anlei, I am _not_ going to let you go back out there without a better understanding of what's happening." 

For a long moment, Anlei remained furious, but eventually he calmed down. "You're right. It's a two and a half day journey at best and we don't know how many more… things there are between here and the clan." He looked at the gate. "I hope they're okay."

"They have the Keeper and their warriors. They'll be fine." Heike rubbed his arm. "Let's arrange lodging for the night."

The townsfolk were tense. Rumors were flying about what was happening and why. Some people were hysterically declaring that the world was ending or that the mages had caused some massive problem down south, but Heike didn't believe any of them. He knew that proper news came slowly to towns, even larger ones like Wycome.

Wycome was pretty overall. Its districts were well-organized, with the high-class ones in the middle and the lower ones out near the walls. And down by the docks, Heike saw the gates to the alienage. He had heard of alienages before, of course, but the first one he'd seen was in Cumberland, with its heavy iron gate and tall granite walls. 

Wycome's was smaller, with a rusted gate that clearly wasn't often closed. He glanced back at Anlei, unsure how the elf would react to seeing his kin living in such conditions. But perhaps he wouldn't really notice, given this was his first time in the city?

Indeed, Anlei was looking around with a curious, eager eye that reminded Heike fondly of how he'd felt upon first entering Cumberland. Both of their attention was soon drawn to the docks, where sailors and dock workers were unloading a ship. Its sails were _burned_ , and Heike spotted a shroud, covering a person's body, set out of the way of people's feet. His heart sank seeing it. Right, a sailor had been killed. By a demon. And those creatures they'd seen, were also probably demons. 

He felt Anlei's hand on his shoulder. He was looking too. "You said lodging, right?"

Heike nodded. "Yeah. Let's find an inn."

Because they were close to the docks, it was easy enough to find one. The sign bore a rat and a ball of yarn. Heike wished he could read the name. Inside it was clean enough, not very busy in the middle of the day, but those customers inside were discussing the demons of course.

The rumors weren't anything new, so Heike tuned them out and approached the man wiping down the counter. "Good day."

The man looked up. "Good day. You're certainly not from around here."

Heike smiled. "No, I'm from the Anderfels. And my friend here is from a local Dalish clan."

"How's that woman doing—Hanin?" the innkeeper asked Anlei. 

He smiled, but it was tense. "She's on a journey right now."

"Sounds important. I wish her well. So what can I do for you two?" 

Heike arranged lodging and chatted with him a bit about finding work on the docks so he could stay in Wycome longer than he'd initially planned. When the details had been established, the innkeeper slid him the key and pointed up the stairs.

Anlei followed him up and looked around the room curiously. His eyes fell on the bed and his ears flushed pink. "Still want me to join you in that bed?" he asked lightly.

Heike felt the heat creep up his face. "I'm certainly not going to say no, but… Anlei, have you ever…?" He didn't want to rush into this, despite what his dick had to say about the matter.

Anlei raised an eyebrow. "Are you asking if I'm innocent, Heike? Shall I return the question?"

"I am," he said, and Anlei faltered. 

"You are?" he asked. "You certainly didn't kiss like someone… inexperienced."

Heike smiled, his eyes flickering away. 

"Well then." Anlei sat on the bed, his expression sultry until he realized how soft it was. With a startled gasp, he tipped backward, sinking into the mattress. "Oh! This is why humans hate sleeping on the ground!" 

Heike laughed and lay beside him. "Oh, this is actually feathers! I was expecting straw. This inn must be nicer than I thought." He smiled. "Or the innkeeper _really_ likes your Hanin."

"She's very likable," Anlei said, resting his hands on his stomach. "Very kind, but stubborn. She'll get her way, but she can do it so that you thought it was your idea." He chuckled, then sighed. "Mythal's mercy, I hope she and the others are okay. I wonder if this demon problem is just in the Free Marches."

Heike reached over to take Anlei's hand. "I'm sure we'll hear more news soon. In the meantime, we should stay in the town. We'll be safe here."

Making an uncertain noise, Anlei rolled onto his side, meeting Heike's eyes. "How do you know that? Another one of those… _things_ might appear right here in the town. Then, all the walls will do is trap us in with them."

Heike frowned. "I guess I just have faith?" he tried, and Anlei scoffed.

"Ah yes, faith in the all-powerful god who abandoned his creations. I feel so much safer. At least ours were _tricked_ away."

Heike shrugged. "I'm not a Chantry brother. I have no answers for you. Do you know how the Wolf tricked your gods?"

So, Anlei settled in and told the story of Fen'Harel in earnest, apologizing now and again for a missed detail or an overly simplified description. "And now Fen'Harel walks the Beyond, seeking out unwary Elvhen," he finished in a soft voice. "I wonder if. ...If those creatures are demons, then their doorway leads…"

"Into the Fade," Heike finished.

Anlei's expression was dark. "Suddenly, I've never wanted anything more than to believe in your human Maker. Because if Fen'Harel is bringing our nightmares into the world, we may very well be doomed." His eyes raised up toward Heike. 

"Nothing is doomed," Heike said, pulling Anlei into a tight hug. "Not so long as we are alive."

Anlei laughed weakly, pessimistically, but he returned the embrace. 

+++

More news filtered in via the Minater and the sea, bearing messengers. The news was mostly bad. 

"Divine's Conclave destroyed in massive explosion!" the crier's voice echoed below their window the next evening. 

"Divine and hundreds of other attendees dead! Chantry leadership in chaos!"

Heike rubbed his eyes, his gaze far away. He thought of Ulla and the others, his traveling companions. Had they arrived safely to the Conclave? Did that safe arrival ultimately lead to their deaths? 

"Dalish survivor main suspect in the explosion!"

At the last, Anlei sucked in a long breath. "'Dalish survivor'?" he echoed, staring at Heike. "Could it…? No, it's impossible." But despite his words, there was a fierce hope growing in his eyes. 

"Divine's mourners gather in Haven!" 

The two of them stared at each other for a long moment. "I… I can't go on a hunch," Anlei said, reluctantly. "And not without asking the Keeper." He looked at the door. "Do you think that… thing is still out there?"

Heike nodded. "I can't imagine it would just vanish."

Anlei chewed on his lip, tugging at loose skin with his teeth. "I should tell the clan what I've learned," he said reluctantly. "If I can move quickly, perhaps I can dodge the monsters altogether."

A long silence fell between them. "Let me make some money," Heike said after it became unbearable. "I'll buy myself a proper weapon again. Please don't go alone."

After a heartbeat's thought, Anlei nodded. "Very well. Can I assist?"

"Hopefully. I was going to try and hire on temporarily on a fishing boat, since I have experience doing that. I imagine there's always dock work?"

Anlei nodded. "I did see many Elvhen working there. I'm sure they will help me."

Privately, Heike wondered how true that was. He didn't know much about the relationship between city elves and their Dalish brethren, but what he'd heard was that it was often… tense. 

"Alright. We'll supply and stock and go back to your clan as soon as we can," he said instead. "And while we work, we'll collect more news for the Keeper."

Anlei nodded and lay down on the bed, his gaze meeting Heike's. "Will you join me?" he asked, and with a smile, Heike slid down beside him, nestling their bodies together. 


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anlei picks up a temp job and the story earns its rating increase.

The next day, before the sun properly rose and fog still curled around the houses, they went down the docks. It didn't take Heike long to get himself onto a fishing boat, smiling and joking with the fishermen as they pushed off. Heike looked back at Anlei, giving him a jaunty wave before slowly fading into the grey mist.

Anlei looked around. There were Elvhen here, looking tired and irritated. They all avoided Anlei's gaze. A man with pale blond hair and an off-white cloth tied around it looked up from picking his nails with a knife, and spotted Anlei. After glancing around and making some sort of assessment, he stood and approached, sliding the knife into a small sheath on his belt. "Look, Dalish, what do you need?"

"A job? Temporarily?" Anlei tried for straightforward. The man seemed like he'd appreciate it.

The man looked him up and down. "You're more wire than muscle, but who knows, you might be stronger than you look. Work with me today. The shem I work for is moderately better than the others." He held out his hand. "Name's Alden."

"Anlei." He returned the handshake. 

"Ever unloaded and loaded a ship before?"

"No, but I have an aravel?"

Alden considered this. "I imagine they're similar enough. Do they really float like proper ships?"

"Well, there are wheels, but definitely smoother than a cart, yes. And the halla know how to pick our paths so we don't run into difficult terrain."

Alden nodded, but his gaze was out at the water. "Should be getting our first vessel in soon, but they also might have run into the demon… hole, or whatever it is." His mouth tightened. "It's the end of the Maker-damned world, I just know it. I was in Ferelden during the Blight, and fled up to Kirkwall. Left Kirkwall because it went to shit. Wycome seemed nice and quiet and normal, and _now_ there's damned demon holes!" He scuffed his boot on the ground, then seemed to notice Anlei's bare feet. "Dalish, you gotta put on some shoes if you're doing this kind of work." As Anlei opened his mouth to protest, Alden cut him off. "Look, I know the _soles_ of your feet are tough as nails, whatever, but what happens when you drop a box _on_ your foot?" He sighed. "C'mere, I've got a spare set. Looks like they might fit you alright."

As Alden was helping him lace them up, there was a long whistle from through the fog, and a large ship began to glide into the port. "That's us," Alden said, smacking Anlei's calf as he rose. "Let's go. Show me what you've got, Dalish."

It was slow, heavy work, loading and unloading ships. As the sun rose, humans began to filter in among the elves, many of them yelling orders or reprimands. "Alden, who the fuck is this?" one especially red-faced human asked, thumbing toward Anlei.

"Friend of mine," Alden said easily, shifting a box higher onto his shoulder. "Needed some extra money. He'll only be around for a few days."

The human considered him. Anlei got the creeping feeling that his worth was being assessed beyond his ability to lift boxes. 

"Very well. But keep him in line!" 

"You got it, Boss." Alden hefted the box onto the stack and the human left. In a low voice, Alden said, "Don't go near him alone closer to sundown. He likes pretty ones like you."

Anlei shuddered. " _Ma serannas_ ," he muttered.

"No need to pull out the Elvish. Just helping you make informed decisions. C'mon, this lady won't load herself. We'll need two people for these crates."

Lunch was bought from a food cart. Anlei's cheeks burned that he had no money with which to pay. Alden waved him off and put the (some sort of meat… bun?) into his hands. "I told you. I came from Kirkwall. You think I came with anything beyond the clothes on my back? Just paying back some of the kindness shown me."

The woman selling the food laughed. "Or you're trying to make yourself look all noble, when in fact, your sister owns the food cart and doesn't make you pay anyway." Now that Anlei thought to notice, the two did look remarkably similar, though the woman's blonde locks were tied back with a green scarf. "I'm Halle."

"Anlei. Thank you for your kindness." He bit into the bun. It was… unfamiliar, but not unpleasant. 

"Likewise. Be nice to my brother, will you?" With a wave, she rolled her cart farther down the docks, hocking her wares in a booming voice belied by her small stature.

As the day wore on and more ships docked, Anlei kept his ears open for more news from the south. The sole survivor of the explosion was a Dalish woman—and she was suspected of blowing it up, of course. (As if she'd have any reason to. Anlei scoffed to himself.)

The hope was hard to keep from his heart. How many Dalish would have been there, after all? Who had lived? Saren? Eloni? Hanin? He tried to keep his focus on the task at hand, but it was hard when the task was so physical. It left his thoughts free to wander.

Regardless of the survivor's actual guilt, would the Chantry execute her? His blood ran cold. The urge to hop aboard one of these ships and sail south with some hunters was strong, if unrealistic. If they attempted a rescue, wouldn't that be an excuse for the Chantry to declare an Exalted March and just murder the clan outright? 

By the time Heike returned, Anlei was exhausted mentally and sore physically from the day's work. Heike waved at him from the docks, smiling and more freckled than when he'd started. 

"Friend of yours?" Alden asked, noticing him. 

Anlei found himself smiling a bit. "Yeah."

Alden rolled his eyes. "Got it. _That_ sort of friend. Help me finish up and I'll get you your pay."

They finished loading the ship and returned to (relative) land. "How'd your day go?" Heike asked brightly. "I hope you want fish for dinner." 

Anlei chuckled. "Fish sounds great."

"Come here, Dalish. Let's put some money in your pocket. You did good work." They went over to the red-faced human, who was sitting behind a makeshift desk of sorts, fiddling with papers. "Hey, Boss. We're leaving."

The man looked Anlei over again, but turned his eyes back to his papers. "Of course. You were here since dawn, handled _these_ ships…" He tapped his pen on the paper and muttered to himself, then began to count silver coins. He dropped them into a bag and handed it to Alden. "Split it between the two of you. If your friend wants to work tomorrow as well, I can see about getting him his own pay."

Alden nodded and thanked him, walking a bit away before opening the bag and pulling out some coins. He put those in the pouch on his belt and held out the bag. "Here you go. A day's wages. Welcome to the life of a flat-ear, Dalish." He smirked. 

"Same time tomorrow?" Anlei asked.

Alden nodded. "See you then. Rest up. The second day is always worse."

+++

Anlei groaned as he sat down. "Oh!" He looked down at his feet. "I forgot to return his shoes."

"Well, you'll see him tomorrow, right?" Heike said. "It's fine. Would you like help getting them off?"

"Please." Anlei fell back onto the bed, his legs dangling. "The last time I was this sore, I'd been tracking a hart for three days and had run out of food the morning prior." He fumbled for the coin purse as Heike tugged off the boots. "How much do we have now?" He held out the bag.

Heike took it and began to count as Anlei stretched his toes. "Well, enough to buy us food for the week, and maybe… a quarter of a decent spear? More if we just eat what I catch."

"So, we'll be able to leave by the end of the week?"

Heike nodded and set the money on the nightstand, lying down beside Anlei. "Unless something dire happens, yes."

Anlei frowned. "I'd prefer you didn't even joke about that." He worried for the clan, and for the mysterious Dalish survivor.

 

"Sorry, sweetness." Heike nuzzled into Anlei's neck, breathing deeply. "Mm, the day's work smells nice on you."

Anlei turned his head, his eyebrows knitting together. "I'm not sure whether to be flattered or disturbed by the thought of you enjoying the smell of my sweat."

"It's not _just_ your sweat," Heike said with a laugh. "It's the sea too. I like how it smells. I fished on a river my whole life. It was lovely, being at sea. Peaceful and… big. Grand." His arms wrapped around Anlei's waist. 

Anlei knew that feeling, of being small and insignificant, enveloped by _something_ infinitely greater. It was a peaceful feeling indeed. Similar to the peace that accompanied this particular human and his warm, protective arms. Tired as he was, he held Heike's face in his hands and guided him upward until their lips met. Heike smiled against his mouth and sat up, shifting around until he was straddling Anlei's hips with his legs. 

"Let's do this properly," he said, and leaned in, hands and arms on either side of Anlei's ears, capturing his lips again. Anlei tangled his fingers in Heike's hair, freeing it from its ribbon, combing through salt-stiffened locks. 

They kissed for what felt like hours, the heat between them warm and soft, peaceful. After a while, Anlei let his head fall back, smiling lazily up at Heike. "As much as I'd love this to continue, I think my legs are too heavy to lift."

Heike chuckled. "I know the feeling." He nuzzled Anlei's neck. "If you're amenable…" He tugged uncertainly on his belt. "I have an idea of something both pleasurable and low effort."

Anlei hummed as he thought. Somehow, even the _thought_ of being fully aroused was exhausting. "What is your proposal?" he asked.

"Perhaps we could, simply, erm." His face slowly began to turn red. "Well, you know." He made a circle with his fingers and thumb, pumping it through the air a few times. "Together?"

Anlei smiled, endeared by Heike's embarrassment. "Could I just watch you instead?" he asked. "Frankly, I'm so tired, I don't know if I could even rise to the occasion." He licked his lips. "But I would like to see you."

Heike laughed, the blush creeping out to his ears. "Okay." He unhooked his belt and pulled it free from his pants. They immediately sagged. Heike pushed them down and lifted the bottom of his tunic. 

Anlei let out a breath of anticipation. It was just a dick, the flesh a bit darker than Heike's natural skin tone, the head flushed pink as it bobbed upward toward Heike's stomach. Anlei was fascinated by the dark blond hair that it sprouted from. Somehow he'd been expecting black. Certainly he'd never seen blond from any of his clansmen. 

Heike licked his lips. "Enjoying the view?" he asked, his voice a bit strained.

"You're lovely," Anlei said. "But is this the only thing you wished to show me?"

Heike chuckled and took himself in hand. "I don't know who I'd tease more by denying you—you or me."

"Definitely you," Anlei assured him, trailing his fingers up Heike's thighs. 

That provoked a very pretty shudder and bitten lower lip. Slowly, shyly at first, Heike began to move his hand. He kept his gaze on Anlei though, raking his eyes up and down Anlei's body, focusing on the appreciative-but-tired bulge under his tunic. 

The pretty flush of Heike's face grew as his hand grew slicker, the head of his cock reddening as it appeared and disappeared into the meat of his thumb. He pumped faster, mouth open now, panting slightly. Clear fluid dripped from the eye of his dick onto Anlei's tunic. 

After a half-moment's thought, Anlei unbuckled it and pulled it up, baring his stomach. Heike's motion slowed, but didn't stop as he asked, "What are you doing?"

"Giving you a place to spill that won't lead to awkward questions in the morning," Anlei said, and smiled. 

Heike's movement picked up again and he groaned, blush now moving down his neck. " _Maker_ ," he breathed. 

Anlei had kept on his trousers, but he could see the faint trail of black hair leading down from his belly button and the line of his hip. He wondered if that sight was what had attracted Heike's attention so. What a sense of power.

Experimentally, he pulled the tunic up higher, eventually lifting his back up off the bed to remove it completely. Heike _whimpered_ , soft and pleading, sucking in his lower lip. Anlei followed his gaze, focused now on the dark discs of his nipples. Anlei brushed his fingers over them, teasing them to hardness. This elicited a gasp and he could feel the tremble of Heike's legs against his hip.

Heike was gasping and panting now, his whole body shaking with the anticipation of what was soon to… come (heh). Anlei grabbed Heike's waist, pushing the heels of his hands downward, kneading into Heike's surprisingly-soft ass. 

His eyes fell closed and his head lolled back, his hips locking forward as he came. His seed was hot where it splattered across Anlei's chest. When he finished, Heike collapsed forward onto his hands, holding himself over Anlei's face, panting. "I hope you had fun," he said, his voice husky. 

Anlei chuckled and pulled him in for a kiss. "I did. Perhaps I can return the favor some other time."

"I'd like that very much," Heike said, and flopped down to lay beside him. 

Anlei wiped himself off with one of the cloths by the wash basin and rolled onto his side, resting his head on Heike's shoulder. "I would too. But we should sleep. Tomorrow is another day's hard work."

"Indeed. Good night, Anlei. Sleep well."

"Good night, Heike."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next update should be December 4th!
> 
> As always, please kudos and comment if you enjoy (and maybe share with your friends?). Let's see if we can't get to 50 views before next update! \o/


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Heike goes to work, and he and Anlei become closer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just one chapter update this time, sorry, guys. My buffer is getting really depleted since I've been busy and haven't had as much time to write. I'm currently writing chapter 10.

The next morning, Heike woke early. He'd gotten a bit too much sun the day before—he could feel the tight heat of the skin across his cheeks and nose. Could he afford a hat? Well, they probably wouldn't be selling anything so early in the day. 

As he sat up and got out of bed, Anlei stirred. Heike smiled as he looked at him, feeling a blush creep up under the sunburn, remembering the night before. Echoes of Anlei's fingers on his bare skin, the remembrance of the heat in his eyes… Heike gave himself a shake. He couldn't get too wrapped up in those sort of thoughts before a day's work.

He used the chamberpot and washed his face. Behind him, Anlei yawned and sat up. "Ugh, my feet are killing me. Why does anyone wear shoes?"

"To protect from falling crates, I imagine," Heike said. 

"Mm, that's what Alden said, but I didn't drop anything on my feet."

"Humor me," Heike said. "Also, if you break a toe, there's no way we're dodging monsters on the way back to your clan." 

"Fair enough." Anlei got out of bed and pressed a kiss to Heike's neck in greeting. "May I?"

Heike moved out of the way of the chamberpot and washbasin, admiring the curve of Anlei's bare back. It was dotted with small scars and moles, faint shining lines of stretch marks from growing too tall too fast. When Anlei finished, Heike wrapped his arms around that white torso and nibbled teasingly at the tip of Anlei's ear.

Anlei shuddered in his grasp, making small noises. "Ah, d-don't, we have to leave soon!" 

Heike smiled into his hair. "Okay, okay. I'll save it for tonight. But your ears are sensitive, hm?"

He could see the pink blush in those very ears. "A bit, I guess," Anlei mumbled and untangled himself from Heike's grip. "Let's eat some breakfast and get going."

"Yes, ser," Heike said. 

+++

When they reached the docks, Anlei waved goodbye and went to speak with the elf he'd worked with the day before. Heike made his way to the fishermen's wharf, where he found his own associates. 

The two elf brothers—Shay and Sean—were playing a quick hand of cards, while the young human woman, Clara, and her elven husband, Kerrik, looked on. Clara looked up first. "Heike! Glad you could join us again."

"Couldn't stay away," he said with a smile. "What's the game?"

"Diamondback," Shay, the older brother, explained. "Ah, shit!"

Sean cackled. "I win! I'm manning the wheel this morning."

"Yeah, yeah. Mum still likes me best."

"You take that back!"

They took to wrestling. Kerrik met Heike's eyes. "Yes, they are always like this," he said dryly. 

Heike laughed and sat beside him. "Reminds me of my little siblings. They're twins, so they argue constantly, but if you intervene, they will both turn on you in utter fury."

Clara chuckled and looked up toward the sky. "We'll have to set out soon, but we're still waiting for Edgar. Hope he shows up. His wind-working is so useful."

"I was shocked to learn you employ an apostate," Heike said. "Aren't you worried?"

Clara shrugged. "All the mages are apostates now, and apostates gotta eat the same as you and I. Besides, I knew him when he was a kid. _And_ , the wind-working really is super useful."

Shay successfully pinned his brother and got to his feet, dusting off his clothes. "Well, now that _that_ is taken care of, where's our wizard?"

"Here, here, sorry!" Edgar waved as he jogged down to the wharf, his shaggy black hair falling into bright, tawny eyes. Heike admired the effect, though Edgar didn't hold a _candle_ to Anlei in terms of prettiness. Aside from a general air of frailty, Edgar didn't _look_ like a mage, at least not Heike's idea of a former Circle mage. He wore regular fisherman's clothes—loose, comfortable trousers and a sun-pale shirt, held together with thick leather strings. As he reached the group, he leaned forward and breathed for a bit, then threw his head back, tying up his hair in a kerchief to keep it out of his eyes. His long ears looked even longer when the hair was tamed. 

Sean grumbled from the ground. "You're late!"

"I know, I know, I'm sorry. Can we go?" Edgar's face was flushed.

"What exactly were you up to?" Clara asked, smirking.

"No one! Er." He turned lobster red as everyone else began smirking too. " _Nothing. Nothing._ I meant 'nothing'!"

"Yeah, sure, Edgar," Kerrik laughed, unwinding the rope from the dock and waving everyone up the gangplank. "Was she pretty?"

He covered his face and mumbled into his hands, "She was gorgeous."

"More or less than Heike's Dalish?" Kerrik asked, tilting his chin toward the distant shape of Anlei in the morning mist.

"I haven't seen him up close yet, so… I'm going to say more."

Clara snorted. She and Shay were setting the sail while Sean went up to the wheel. "I _have_ , and I'm gonna say less. Heike's Dalish is fuckin' beautiful."

Heike frowned. "C-can we stop calling him 'my' Dalish? He's not my pet. His name's Anlei."

Kerrik jogged up the plank and pulled it on board, giving Sean a thumbs up. He patted Heike on the head. "You're such a good shem," he said. "It's cute."

"What about me?" Clara yelled, halfway up the rigging. 

"You're awful! Why would I even like you?!" he called up to her.

She cackled and stuck out her tongue, plopping herself onto the crow's nest and hooking up the flag of Wycome as well as a blue flag that indicated they were a civilian fishing vessel. 

Edgar stood in front of the sails, holding the long walking stick he kept on board for wind-working, and with a few motions of the staff and his hands, the sails filled and the boat began to move. 

As they got out to sea, Clara settled into her role of lookout, and Kerrik, Shay, and Heike began to prepare the nets. They chatted as they worked, Edgar occasionally chiming in from his position by the sails. 

"So, can I ask what you all know about Dalish in general?" Heike asked. "They're new to me, and… I want to understand them better."

Shay and Kerrik both turned to Edgar, who sighed at them. "You all _do_ remember I was taken from my clan when I was _eleven_ , right? I don't remember much."

"Clan Lavellan?" Heike asked, but Edgar shook his head. 

"No, my clan scattered some years ago. Some of them might have joined Lavellan though. I didn't get much news in the Ostwick Circle. Though I was lucky enough to get news at all. Maker help me if I'd been sent to Kirkwall." He shuddered. "But I guess if you have questions about Dalish in general, I could try to answer." He smiled sadly. "Even if most of them would consider me a flat-ear now."

"What is that exactly?"

"An elf who doesn't practice 'Elvhen' culture. City elves, basically. The Dalish consider themselves a continuance from Halamshiral and Arlathan."

"Hence the different gods," Heike said.

"Yeah. Different clans have different attitudes toward city elves. Some pity them—they just need to be shown the 'proper' way to be an elf. Others actively shun them, and view them as those who bowed and surrendered to the shemlen by adopting their culture."

Heike sighed and leaned against the railing, looking up at the sails. "So, shemlen are the enemy, huh?"

Edgar pursed his lips. "For some clans, definitely. For others though… Maybe a necessary evil? Worth friendliness, but not much else."

Neither option thrilled Heike. The more he learned about the Dalish, the more he realized just how impossible any sort of real relationship was with Anlei. For now, they were sharing a bed and traded kisses and admirations, but the reality was it was temporary. Unless Anlei would choose him over family, friends, everything he'd ever known. But why would he ever do that?

(The fact that Heike _would_ was irrelevant. Heike had already left home without knowing Anlei existed. The circumstances were different; he knew that. It was hard to convince his heart though.)

Kerrik noticed his shift in mood. "You really like him, huh? Your Anlei?"

Heike shrugged, but he knew he was obvious. Subtlety had never been a strong suit of his. "Probably too much, given how it's destined to end." He smiled sadly.

Kerrik clapped him on the shoulder, but before he could say anything, Clara whistled for their attention. "I see a big school feeding, north-by-northeast!" She held her arm out straight.

Sean turned the ship. "Ready the net, boys!" he yelled. "I see 'em too, and it's a big one!"

As they sailed into the bubbles, the three of them threw the net over the side and pulled it back up, admiring the flashing of silvery scales. They dumped the lot onto the deck. "Throw back the runts!" Shay called over the flopping and splashing. 

They worked quickly, tossing back the ones too small yet to eat. It was quick work, requiring sharp eyes and fast hands, and the conversation ended.

+++

They were able to pull a few full nets from the one school before they decided to move on. The morning mist had burned off. In the near-noon sun, distant against the horizon, Heike saw the faint green glow of a hole in the world.

Kerrik came to stand next to him. "It's so scary to remember it's there," he said quietly. 

"You're around the docks a lot," Heike said. "Have you heard anything more than what the criers are saying?"

"I heard a rumor that the explosion of the Conclave opened a _big_ rift into the Fade. And these little ones are just offshoots."

Heike looked back at the glowing green in shock. "That's _little_?!"

"Apparently. I can't imagine how big the 'big' one must be."

Shay came to stand between them. "I heard a few people survived the blast, but the Chantry is in complete chaos. Anyone who would have become Divine after Justinia is dead. And that sort of power vacuum…"

"Maker's breath," Heike breathed. Being Ander, however small his home village was, he was familiar with the dangers of politics. He thought again of the pilgrims he'd traveled to Cumberland with, and murmured a prayer for their safety.

"The world is ending," Shay said conversationally, leaning down to scoop up a fish that had slid out of the pile. He turned it over in his hands. "But people still gotta eat. It'll keep going until it's over."

+++

Their ship full and the sun setting, they returned to Wycome. Today, Heike saw Anlei waiting for him on the wharf, the red and orange of the sunset making him look even more stunning than usual.

Clara nudged Edgar and nodded her head toward him. "Still less gorgeous than your partner last night?" she teased.

After a moment's appraisal, Edgar gave Heike a small, elaborate bow. "Your Anlei is definitely prettier than the lovely lady who made me late this morning."

Heike laughed and waved at him, feeling his heart warm at the sight of Anlei waving back. Even if this was doomed to end, he was going to enjoy it while it lasted.

As they docked, Heike was first down the gangplank. "Hello, Anlei. Already finished for the day?"

"Yeah. I was so exhausted. Alden got me my pay. It's probably less than yesterday but…" 

"Don't worry about it," Heike said easily. "We had a good haul today."

"Heike, get your ass up here and help move these barrels!" Sean yelled over the side of the boat.

He and Anlei laughed. "Go," Anlei said, stepping back to give them room. "I'll wait."

So Heike scrambled back up and helped everyone roll the fish barrels down to the waiting merchants, eager to bid on the day's catch. Shay, Sean, and Clara handled that part of the job, so Heike waved Anlei over to stand with him, Edgar, and Kerrik as they waited. After introductions, Heike told Anlei about the day's work, more to fill time than to actually inform.

"So you're from Clan Lavellan?" Edgar asked. 

Anlei seemed surprised at being addressed. "Yes, I am. Why?"

"I was a member of Clan Nava before I was taken to the Ostwick Circle. They gave me an Andrastian name and everything."

"You could change it back?" Anlei suggested, but Edgar shrugged. "I've been Edgar for so long now that it would feel strange to be anyone else."

Anlei nodded and Heike wondered if he was thinking about his unknown parents. Had he once been someone else, before Anlei? Heike took his hand, rubbing small circles into Anlei's palm with his thumb. Briefly, he felt the squeeze of Anlei's fingers and could imagine the small ' _thank you_ '. 

When the fish was sold and the merchants leaving, the others came over. "Pay time!" Clara sang, and she tossed small bags to each of them. "It was a good day. I hope we'll see you again tomorrow, Heike? Seems like you're a good luck charm!"

He smiled. "Of course. I could never say no to the ocean."

"Are you staying in Wycome, Heike?" Shay asked. "I'd love to hire you on for real if you are."

Heike looked at Anlei, who avoided his gaze. Putting aside the concern that threatened to claw up his throat, Heike smiled. "We'll see. I'll let you know when I do." 

Wrapping his free arm around Anlei's, he tugged the elf forward, holding up the coin purse as he waved goodbye. "See you all tomorrow morning!"

"Bright and early!" Clara called. "Don't be an Edgar!"

"Hey!!"

Heike laughed.

+++

"So, what exactly did Edgar do?" Anlei asked over dinner, raising his eyebrow.

"He was late because he was too involved with a bedmate," Heike explained, enjoying the way Anlei' ears flushed pink. 

"Oh. I see." He tucked a loose lock of hair behind his ear. "I can see how that would be a problem."

In the low light of the inn, Anlei's features were softer than usual, but also more mature. Heike remembered the night before, the glint in those eyes as he watched Heike bring himself to completion. Idly, Heike imagined Anlei seizing control as thoroughly as he clearly wanted to, guiding Heike to his knees, holding his mouth open while he fucked him… 

"Heike?" Anlei's voice cut into his thoughts. "Are you okay? You're turning red."

Heike felt himself becoming _more_ red. "Just thinking about last night," he mumbled. "I don't suppose you're…?"

Anlei tilted his head, regarding Heike with a thoughtful expression. Then he smirked. "I could be convinced."

Heike quickly swallowed the rest of his dinner and chugged the remaining ale in his mug. "I'm done!" he said quickly.

Anlei's whole body shook with laughter, but he stood up too, giving Heike a smile that could make a Mother blush. 

As soon as their door was closed behind them, Anlei had him up against it, kissing him. After what was maybe minutes, or maybe hours, they pulled apart. "I think it's your turn to get messy, Heike," he purred, scraping his nails over Heike's scalp before grabbing a fistful of his hair. Heike swallowed a soft moan that threatened to escape, but it lingered in his throat, drawing a smile from Anlei. "You should get undressed." Anlei let him go.

He scrambled to do so, tossing clothes onto the trunk at the foot of the bed, naked as the Maker made him as he sat on the bed. Anlei stripped more slowly, keeping his eyes on Heike's, gauging his reactions? So Heike made himself more obvious, gasping audibly when more skin was revealed and biting his lip when he finally got a look at Anlei's dick. Like the rest of him, it was long and thin, not quite giving him its full attention yet, but definitely interested. It was significantly darker than the rest of Anlei's skin, and black hair decorated its base and crept up toward his belly button. Heike licked his lips. 

Anlei posed a little, his face pink, but he played it off well. 

Heike smiled at him, waving him to come to the bed. "I want to touch you," he said, gesturing toward Anlei's dick as he climbed onto the mattress. "May I?"

Anlei flushed and nodded. Heike kissed again, wrapping his hand around Anlei, the angle strange (he'd never wanked from this side before), but he felt Anlei stiffen in his hand, drawing up to full attention, the tip flushing red. 

Heike let his mouth drift from Anlei's lips and to his ear, nibbling along the lobe, then upwards along the crease. Anlei gasped against Heike's neck, making small, eager noises as Heike rubbed his thumb against the tip of Anlei's dick, easing the foreskin farther down. "Can I put my mouth on you?" he asked softly, and he felt Anlei's cock jump in his grip. 

"Please," Anlei said breathlessly, and Heike smiled, kissing down Anlei's chest until he lowered his hand enough to wrap his mouth over the head. Heike glanced up through his lashes, enjoying the sight of Anlei watching him, mouth hanging open, his hands awkwardly hovering, unsure of what to do with them.

With his free hand, Heike grabbed one of Anlei's and put it on his head, lowering himself further onto his cock. Anlei took the hint and gripped his hair, following his movements at first, then gradually guiding them. 

After a few more minutes, Heike pulled back, switching only to his hand while he massaged the hinge of his jaw. "This hurts a lot more than I expected it to. I need more practice." He smiled up at Anlei, who chuckled and held his face, pushing his fingers into the sore spots, rubbing gently.

"Happy to help you practice, _ma vhenan_." 

"Mm? What was that you called me?" Heike asked, letting Anlei's hands fall as he returned his mouth to the elf's cock. 

Anlei's expression sobered, and he ran his fingers through Heike's hair. "Just a term of endearment. I'm sure the Anderfels has them as well?"

" _Mein Liebling,_ " he said, then licked a long stripe up the underside. He smiled at the shudder he got in return. His jaw probably wasn't up for the full swallow at the moment, but he was nothing if not resourceful. " _Mein Schatzi,_ " he murmured, keeping his hand's motion steady as he kissed along Anlei's inner thigh, then nipped, drawing a gasp and a tightening grip on his hair. He sucked at the bite, tonguing against the skin. In his grip, Anlei trembled.

"Please," he gasped. "Please, Heike!" 

Heike let go with a soft _pop_ and climbed up onto his knees, pumping Anlei's cock faster as he kissed him. 

It didn't take long. With a low whimper, Anlei came against his stomach, his whole body shaking. "Mythal's Mercy," he murmured, resting his face against Heike's neck. "That was… intense."

Heike smiled and kissed his cheek, holding him close. " _Mein Knuddlebär,_ " he said with a grin, peppering Anlei's face with kisses. 

He laughed, half-heartedly struggling. "Okay, you have to tell me what that means, Heike. Canoodle?"

Heike tried to think of a good translation into Trade. " _Knuddel_ is cuddle," he said, snuggling into Anlei's neck. "And _bär_ is just bear."

"So, I'm a… cuddle bear?" Anlei asked, raising an eyebrow.

Heike snorted in laughter and kissed Anlei's nose. "Mmhm! Now, what did you call me?" He grinned.

Anlei clammed up, frowning. 

"Was it something _dirty_?" Heike teased, ignoring the drop in his stomach. 

"No, not dirty. Just maybe… inappropriately affectionate?" The lines around his mouth deepened. "I know you want this to be serious, and I do too, but…"

"You don't know how it'll work out," Heike finished with a sigh. "Yeah." He picked up Anlei's hand and kissed the palm. " _Mein Schatzi_ was another one I used. 'My treasure.' I want to treasure you, Anlei."

Anlei sighed, cuddling close. " _Ma vhenan,_ "he repeated. 'My heart'."

Heike squeezed him tightly. "I hope to be worthy of the honor."


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The two depart Wycome.

The next few days were a flurry of work during the day and slow, tired love-making at night. They woke in each other's arms, warm and slightly sweaty, but Anlei couldn't quite bring himself to mind. 

The morning of their fifth day in Wycome, Heike counted their combined pay and nodded to himself. "We'll have enough by this afternoon. Do you want to leave tonight?"

Anlei shook his head. "Even if we didn't have to navigate around a demon hole, traveling at night would still be ill-advised, especially after an early day."

"Tomorrow morning then."

"Yeah. I'll meet you on the docks and we can visit a… craftsman?"

Heike smiled. "Probably a blacksmith. I imagine the Dalish don't do much smelting."

With a chuckle, Anlei got up and started getting dressed. "You'd be right. We use flint for our arrowheads mostly, and trade with the humans for other weapons. Ironbark is ideal, but it can't be found everywhere. We have to trade with other clans for it. So we make do with steel."

"I've never seen ironbark," Heike said wistfully. "It sounds so interesting."

"The Keeper has an amulet made of it. I'm sure she'd show you if you asked." 

They continued chatting as they made their way down to the main tavern. It took them a moment to register that something was different. Despite the early hour, people were awake, filling the seats as a woman was telling a story. 

"She's blessed by the Maker, she is," the woman said. "Walked out of the Fade, Andraste at her back. And she looked on that cursed mark in the sky and raised her hands and _whoosh_ it stopped spitting out demons. She's the Herald of Andraste, blessed by the Maker, I'm telling you!"

"Isn't she an elf though?" one of the humans asked.

The woman frowned, combing her frizzy hair behind her long ears. "All the more reason to believe in her! Andraste Herself allied with the elf Shartan against the magisters. And how did Orlais repay that trust? By marching the Chantry's forces upon the very elves Shartan and Andraste freed! By docking his ears and hiding him away when his existence as an elf became _politically inconvenient_. That Andraste's Herald is an elf is meant to shame them!" 

There were chitters of agreement. Anlei noticed just how many of those gathered were also elves.

"The Chantry says the world is ending! But _I_ say it is simply a new beginning! For the elves of Thedas to rally behind our Herald!"

"And what should we do?" another person asked. "She's down in Ferelden, isn't she?"

"I say we join her," the woman said excitedly. "Embrace the people we once were! Rally!" 

As the crowd got louder, talking amongst themselves and to the woman, Anlei heard the innkeeper snort to himself, murmuring quietly. "A bunch of half-cocked elves running out on their jobs to support a Dalish woman in a heretic movement? Yeah, the duke will love that." He didn't involve himself in the crowd though, keeping his eyes on the counter he was wiping. 

"Do you know her name?" Anlei asked, raising his voice up over the din.

"No, but she's from Clan Lavellan." When her gaze found Anlei, her eyes widened. "You're from Clan Lavellan too!" she said, bounding over. "You must know her!"

"If she's from Clan Lavellan, yes, but I don't know _who_ she—"

"You must take us to her!"

"What?" Anlei stepped back. "Why would I—? What makes you think I—? What?" he finished weakly. "I have to go." He grabbed Heike's hand and pulled him out of the inn, trying to keep his head down. 

When they reached the crisp morning air, Anlei breathed. "What is happening…?" he muttered to himself. Had one of his clan truly given up themselves so easily to the shemlen, embracing their Maker without regard for the Creators? 

Who had done it? Saren? Hanin? _Eloni?_

His heart hurt as he walked, squeezing Heike's hand tightly. He stopped suddenly. "I don't know where we're going," he said.

Heike chuckled and brought their joined hands to his lips. "This way. I asked Clara and Kerrik yesterday." The morning was calm, despite Anlei's tumultuous thoughts, and Heike seemed to notice, watching him out of the corner of his eye. A few times, he looked about to ask, but he seemed to decide better of it, and they continued their journey in quiet.

The blacksmith worked out a low building with a tin roof and an open porch where a large oven sat. A middle-aged human woman in a thick leather apron and heavy gloves was using it to heat a sword. Occasionally, she pulled the red-hot metal out to hit for a while, and then put it back again.

She looked up as they approached. "Mornin'," she said, eyes returning to her work. "Can I help you folks with something?" She had an accent Anlei didn't recognize, not that he recognized many human accents. Not from Wycome and not from the Anderfels was all he could tell.

"We were hoping to buy some sort of polearm and some arrows," Heike said. 

She nodded. "Give me five minutes and I'll show you what I've got made." 

Anlei watched with fascination has the sword took more shape under her ringing hammer, until at last she held it up, nodded to herself and quenched it in a nearby water trough. "Come on inside," she said, waving her large hand for them to follow.

The room was dingy and sooty, smelling strongly of rust and oil. Anlei wrinkled his nose as he acclimated to it. Heike didn't seem to notice the stench, his attention drawn immediately by the row of polearms. 

Anlei didn't recognize the different styles. He could tell the shorter ones were meant for tossing short distances, and that some were more like long axes than spears, but other than that, he was mostly unfamiliar. 

As Heike discussed the options with the blacksmith, Anlei examined the arrows. They were heavier in the tip, compensated for with longer, stiffer fletching. Perhaps hawk feathers? He couldn't quite tell from the patterning alone, especially not in the dark room. He held the arrow in the palm of his hand, determining if it had a different balance point and thinking how he could compensate for any differences. If their opponents were truly demons, he couldn't miss. While he still had some arrows of his own, it was always better to have too many than too few.

Eventually, Heike was handed a long pole with a shining steel point. One side had a short protrusion, similar to a hook. Anlei could imagine it being used to catch a blade or hook an opponent's clothing. Heike smiled as he showed it to Anlei. "A proper glaive," he said proudly. "Maker, I've never had one before. Oh, you're looking at arrows?"

"Yes, I don't want to run out."

Heike nodded. "That's a good idea." He waved the blacksmith over, negotiating for a bundle of arrows. Anlei liked watching him barter, all smiles and firm hand gestures and light banter. 

Eventually, an agreement was reached and Anlei untied the arrows and set them in his quiver. "Now rations?" he asked.

"Now rations," Heike agreed. 

The market was bustling that time of day, and Anlei overheard more rumors about the so-called Herald of Andraste. Each time set his teeth on edge. 

It was with a gasp of relief that, supplies in well in hand, they broke out of the crowd and headed toward the gates. The guard stationed there frowned at them. "You want to go out there, with the demons?" she asked.

"Yes, ser," Heike said, hefting his glaive. "We're well-aware."

She nodded. "Maker be with you then." She yelled up for the gates to be opened.

Anlei almost expected it to look like some sort of nightmare, but no, the green hole glittered on the horizon, surrounded by the dark shapes of demons, but they still seemed bound to it, unable to travel far. Good.

As they stepped through, the gates closed behind them. Heike put a hand on Anlei's shoulder, joining him in staring at the crackling void. "Looks like we'll be able to skirt it okay," he said, optimistic.

"But we'll need to be on the lookout for more," Anlei said. He whispered a quick prayer to Mythal for her blessing and mercy. "Let's get going."

Heike squeezed his shoulder tightly, pressing his lips quickly to Anlei's cheek. "Let's get going."

+++

Anlei led them on a slightly longer route toward the camp, giving the void a wide berth and avoiding difficult or low-visibility terrain. On the third night of travel, they were almost there, but Heike was flagging too badly to push on—though he'd never say it.

"Let's go, it's not too far now, right?" he said, though his face was pinched in pain and Anlei suspected if he removed Heike's boots, there would be blisters. In fact… 

"No," Anlei said. "It's getting dark. We'll stop here for the night. Also, Heike, take off your shoes."

"What, why?" he asked, though he was already sitting down and looking relieved.

Anlei waved his hand. "Come on, off." 

With a sigh, Heike leaned forward and unlaced his boots, groaning softly as he pulled them off his feet. There was a significant blister formed on the back of his heels, but his feet weren't as badly off as Anlei had expected. Without saying anything, Anlei pulled Heike's feet into his lap, poured a small amount of water on them, and began to rub them clean. 

Heike groaned, falling backward onto the ground. "That feels amazing," he breathed.

"Your feet are so soft, like a baby's," Anlei joked, pushing his thumbs against the joints of Heike's big toes. "Let them air out tonight; the weather will be fine. And in the morning, I'll wrap them to prevent those blisters from worsening."

"Yes, ser, Doctor Anlei," Heike mumbled, sounding half-asleep already. 

Anlei smiled and by the time he was done, Heike was snoring slightly. Carefully, Anlei eased out from under Heike's legs and crouched over his torso, admiring the moonlight on his face. He'd never expected to feel this way about someone he'd known such a short time. It was as if his world had suddenly shifted focus.

Clouds drifted across the moon. He frowned as he watched Heike's face appear to contort in the muted, shifting light. What was he doing? This was a _shemlen_ , one openly ignorant of the Dalish, and with explicit plans to leave on his continued pilgrimage for the Chantry's Maker. 

There were only two possibilities before them: 1) that Anlei leave Clan Lavellan and follow this human in his journey for a god Anlei didn't even believe in or 2) that Anlei remain with the clan and watch Heike go. 

He groaned and stood up, pacing a short distance away to think. It had been so easy to fall into routine, Heike as a confidante and bed partner, even as he knew it wouldn't last. But so close to the clan… His decision would need to be made soon. He glanced back at Heike's slumbering form and couldn't help a smile. His human was ridiculous, sprawled out as he was. He'd probably jolt awake soon and they'd make a fire and properly set up camp, but for now… Anlei was happy to let him nap.

His thoughts drifted to the mysterious survivor, the Herald. Who was she? Was she a pawn of the Chantry, a puppet of its will, or had she truly encountered the human prophet in the Beyond? It seemed unlikely, but so did gaping green holes in the world that spit out demons. 

Were the Dalish truly scions of Arlathan, or were they only worshipping dreams of past achievements? 

He traced the tattoos on his face, following the dark green lines up and down, looping back upon themselves, again and again. 

Eventually, Heike stirred, hissing before he yawned. "Maker, how long was I out?"

"Not long," Anlei said, walking back over. "Let's get properly bedded down for the night."

Heike nodded and yawned again, oblivious to Anlei's heavy thoughts. Once the fire was crackling and they'd laid out their bedrolls, Heike was asleep again, this time in Anlei's lap. Filled with a fond, but melancholy warmth, Anlei combed his fingers through Heike's hair, savoring their closeness while he still could.

He couldn't leave his family and run off with a shemlen he'd only known a few days. That was crazy.

Absolutely crazy. 

Heike mumbled in his sleep, wrapping an arm around Anlei's back, smiling a little as he held tight. 

Anlei was seized by the urge to cry, but forced it back, breathing deeply of the sweet night air and the familiar scent of wood smoke. 

+++

When morning came, even Heike was unusually quiet as Anlei wrapped his feet and helped him back into his boots. 

"I'll stay in Wycome for now," he said as they started walking. "So that we can visit. If that's something you want." His words were slow and cautious as they treaded carefully into the brush.

Anlei began to answer when he heard the telltale creak of a bowstring. In seconds, he had his own bow raised and pointed at the source of the sound. 

Ionne stepped out of the shadows, lowering her bow. "Anlei!" she gasped. "Mythal's mercy, we were about to leave without you!"

"Leave? Leave where? It's not yet been a season." Behind him, he could hear Heike stop moving, his breathing quickening.

"It's not safe here. There is a hole into the Beyond in the hunting grounds. Demons have been killing our food. We're going to push onward and hope for better land."

"Onward?" Anlei repeated. "But…" 

Ionne shrugged. "Talk to the Keeper, not to me. I'll tell her you're here and safe. Traveler Heike, I thank you for helping our lethallin." She nodded to him. "Should our paths cross again, I imagine you would be welcome."

She bounded off toward the camp, leaving Anlei and Heike alone. Helplessly, Anlei looked at him, words half-forming on his lips before his mind could give them shape. 

"So, this is goodbye then? At least for now?" Heike asked, and there was a forced cheer on his face, painted in the tension of his neck and the hurt in his eyes. "Wow, the Dalish don't do anything by half-measures, do they?"

"Heike… I'm so sor—"

He was cut off with a wave. "Don't apologize. It's not your fault. I heard her. Besides, you need to eat. It was." He stopped himself, took a deep breath. His blue eyes were glassy. "It was fun, spending the week with you. Even if we both worked through most of it." A brittle laugh. "We both knew this is how it would end, Anlei."

Anlei dropped his head. "Yes, we did. I'm sorry, I knew I shouldn't have—"

"Don't tell me you regret it, even if it's true." Heike smiled, though tears began to fall. "Perhaps we'll meet again, if the Maker wills it. Or… Which Dalish god helps lovers?" 

"Mythal," Anlei whispered, his voice strangled. 

"Then perhaps if Mythal feels merciful." Heike held out his hand to shake, but Anlei pushed it aside, hugging him instead. "How is it the Dalish say goodbye, 'Darth shirale'?"

" _Dareth shiral_ ," Anlei murmured, and he squeezed tighter. "How do Anders say it?"

" _Auf Wiedersehen._ 'Until I see you again'."

Anlei smiled. "I like that. _Auf Wiedersehen_ then, Heike. Be safe."

"And you, Anlei." 

They released each other, each taking steps back. For a long moment, Anlei indulged in a fantasy of demanding that the Keeper either bring Heike with them or leave Anlei behind, of Heike living among his People, his family, the Elvhen accent slowly improving as he learned the Dalish way of living; of Heike's fair skin darkening in the sun, freckles turning into clouds over his cheeks and shoulders; of Heike earning a set of vallaslin—Mythal perhaps—drawn in blue over his cheeks. 

But he looked at Heike's boots, scuffed and beaten with their daily wear, and remembered it was an impossible dream. 

"Goodbye, Heike," Anlei said softly. "Be careful on your way back to Wycome."

"And you on your way to… wherever it is you plan to go." Heike wiped his eyes with the heel of his hand. 

They continued to look at each other. Wincing, Anlei turned away first, moving his gaze to Ionne's distant back. _One foot in front of the other, Anlei,_ he muttered to himself. _This is the only choice to be made._

He walked away. 

He didn't cry. (At least not where anyone could see him.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next update should be the 2nd of January! I'm still behind in writing (in part because I joined like three holiday exchanges lol), so fingers crossed I'll be able to buckle down and at least finish up Act 1. Act 2 still needs planning, so I'll probably have to take a hiatus sadly, but the end of Act 1 should be fairly satisfying!
> 
> Happy Holidays to all of you! _blows kisses_


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nothing like a new purpose to take your mind off of things.

Heike didn't like traveling alone. Even the weight of his new glaive in his hands and on his back didn't give him any comfort. The night after leaving the Dalish, he sat with it, balanced on his palms, admiring the way the newly polished metal gleamed in the firelight, but it gave him no real comfort.

Missing Anlei was a greater ache than he could have ever imagined. He'd been expecting something like a missing tooth—unable to forget, tongue still worrying the place it had been—but instead he'd been given a numbness like his heart had been left behind, and the weight of a loneliness he'd never known.

As a child, he'd often enjoyed being by himself, reading his family's worn copy of the Chant to the birds outside his window, or drawing pictures on his school slates. It had been a welcome release from a family of five children. But now all he could hear was the echoing silence where before there had been a soft, teasing voice. 

He set the weapon aside and buried his face in his hands. Somehow, Anlei leaving so _soon_ had never made its way into his imaginings. He'd pictured long stretches apart, yes, Anlei with his clan and he, Heike, in Wycome, working with the fishing crew, seeing each other with weeks in between, but _this_ … 

Where were they going? Did they even know? Would they return to Wycome? Or would they trade with other human cities now? Would he ever see Anlei again?

Heike scrubbed his face and moved his hands down over his mouth so he could watch the small fire he'd built. Clouds shifted overhead in the night sky, covering the moon. 

Along the eastern horizon, he could see a flicker of green. 

He thought about the elven woman from the inn, talking about the Herald of Andraste. A sense of _rightness_ that he had long ascribed to the Maker's light began to flood his chest. Just as he had felt compelled to attend the Divine's Conclave, so too did he now feel compelled to support this mysterious Herald. 

He could save up the money. If she was a member of Anlei's clan, then perhaps… 

He didn't know quite what he was hoping for. To hear the Maker's words for himself? To see a prophet of His word in the flesh? For the Herald to call upon her clan to join her, and thus bring Anlei once again to his side? 

The absurdity of his fantasies made him laugh, soft and sad in the quiet night. 

Still, he had a goal again. Perhaps if he focused on it, he could eventually forget the elf with whom he had left his heart.

+++

When he returned to Wycome, he went to the innkeeper. "I could continue to rent to you, ser," he said, "but you might be better off at the apartment block over near the docks. A friend of mine owns it and she can give you a better rate for a long-term stay."

Heike nodded. "That's very kind of you." 

The apartments were cramped, but clean enough. The landlord was an older woman with gray-streaked brown hair and a slightly lazy eye. He put down a deposit from his fishing wages and the last of his gold, and she was happy to get him set up for a minimum of three months.

He didn't think it would be long enough for Anlei to come visit, but he could hope.

The bed was straw, and the furniture was dusty from disuse. He opened the windows, letting in a cool sea wind, cutting through the stench of the city coming from below. This would be home for the next few months. He rubbed the bottom of his tunic over the windowsill, picking up the dust, before turning back to his room. With several claps to his cheeks, he rolled up his sleeves and got to cleaning.

+++ 

The fishing crew was happy to see him at work. "Heike!" Clara said, waving. "You came back!" 

"I did," he said, smiling, but he felt like his heart wasn't in it.

Kerrik seemed to be the first to notice, slinging an arm over his shoulders. "Just you, huh?"

Heike kept the smile in place and nodded. "Yeah. Just me. The clan's moving. Apparently there's a demon hole in their hunting grounds."

Clara hugged him. "Oh, darling, I'm so sorry." 

He returned the hug, his smile gaining some feeling when Kerrik joined in properly. "I'm okay," he said eventually, pulling free. "I think I'm going to go see what this whole… Herald of Andraste thing is about."

"Really?" Kerrik asked, raising an eyebrow. "You're not going to wait here for your Anlei to return like a sad little puppy?"

Heike chuckled. "Even I know a lost cause when I see it, Kerrik."

Clara snorted. "And yet you want to get yourself mixed up in the doomed little Inquisition? We all know the Chantry is gonna squash them like a bug."

"Without the templars and without a leader?" Heike put his hands behind his head, looking up at the morning sky. "I think they have a shot."

"It's your pyre," Kerrik muttered, shaking his head. "Though be warned, we're gonna try to talk you out of it while you're hoarding your money."

"And that's how I know you're good friends," Heike said with a laugh. 

Shay and Sean whistled at them from the boat, and the three friends climbed aboard.

+++

Despite his insistence than he knew Anlei wouldn't visit, it was hard for him not to look around the docks and market for the telltale green tattoo. There was a Dalish woman, mother to a (presumably elf-blooded) human daughter, who lived in the alienage, and he saw them on occasion, selling baskets and jewelry in the marketplace.

The mother had delicate green tattoos, but the design was different than Anlei's—vein-like wings across her cheeks that Heike remembered belonged to a goddess, though not which one. One afternoon, he decided to talk to her.

"Hello, ser," she said as he approached her stall. "Looking for anything specific today?"

"I'm afraid not, but I'd be happy to buy something if I could speak to you a bit."

She raised an eyebrow. "What about? I'm afraid I don't know you."

"I'm Heike. And you're Dalish, aren't you?"

Thin, boney fingers tucked her dark hair behind her ear. "I was once, but no longer. I'm Aurana."

"Why did you decide to leave your clan?" he asked.

She scowled. "Awfully forward, aren't you? Why do you want to know?"

Heike hadn't planned on telling her, but it was clear she wouldn't answer for a frivolous 'just curious' or 'I find the Dalish fascinating'. Instead, he said, "I'm in love with a Dalish elf. I want to know if I have a chance."

Aurana softened a bit and looked down, running her fingers over the basket of woven necklaces for sale. "My clan wouldn't allow me to keep my daughter. So I left."

"Clan Lavellan?"

She shook her head. "No, Clan Nava, before it was scattered." Heike recognized the name of Edgar's old clan. 

"Because your daughter is half-human?" he guessed.

Aurana's answering smile was without mirth. "Her father… He doesn't know she exists, and I've no desire to change that."

Her expression spoke to how willing she'd been to get pregnant in the first place, and Heike didn't pry. Shame and guilt toward sharing the ears of a such a man filled his gut. "You are incredibly brave, Miss Aurana," he said.

She gave him a small smile. "Thank you, Heike. Let me frank with you. Give up your love. For you, the best case scenario would be she has to leave her clan to be with you, and no matter how much love she has in her heart, there will be resentment too. And love and resentment are not pleasant bedfellows. As painful as I imagine it to be for you, give up. Find a new path in your life."

Heike sighed. There was an urge to defend himself, to counter her, but he knew his arguments would hold no water. "But I love him," he said softly.

She patted his arm. "I can tell. But Dalish who leave, especially those who leave to follow around a shemlen? They're pariahs. You don't want that for him."

He thought of Anlei and his clan, how tight-knit they were. "No," he said with a sigh. "No, I don't."

With an encouraging smile, Aurana leaned back and gestured to her table. "So, you promised to buy."

Heike laughed. "That I did." He picked out one of the scarves and tied it over his head. "Thank you," he said, pressing the money into her hand, before turning away.

"Wait, let me get you your change." He heard her rummaging around. 

"No, no, keep it," he said with a wave of his hand. "Payment for the advice."

But despite it, his eyes still swept over the marketplace before he left, looking for a familiar face.

+++

Three months came and went without hearing any word about Clan Lavellan. There was, however, plenty of word about the Herald's people. A name finally filtered in through the rumors—Herald Lavellan. Another member who used the clan name. Heike wished he could figure out which of Anlei's clanmates it was based on that, but he didn't know enough about the women Anlei had worried over.

He amassed his savings, and kept an ear on the news from the south.

One morning, he just about had a heart attack. "Urgent news!" the crier yelled just as the sun was rising. He and the other fisherfolk looked up from their preparations to listen. "The Herald of Andraste has allied with the rebel mages!"

Heike and the others gasped. A supposedly-holy woman, allying with mages? They looked at each other. Edgar was smiling. "Glad to see _someone_ important recognizes we don't need Circles."

Clara pursed her lips. "News this far away is never necessarily accurate."

"But I bet the main thrust of it is true," Edgar said. "Good. Maybe this rebellion will come to something after all."

As the crier's voice faded into the distance, Heike returned to his preparations, thoughts swirling. If the Herald was indeed a prophet of Andraste, then was it the Maker's will to abolish the Circles and foster greater cooperation between the Chantry and mages? And if that was the case, what did that say about the current Chantry, and its policies regarding the control and containment of mages? Surely demons would still be a threat?

He looked out over the water, just able to make out the soft glow of green against the horizon. 

It seemed that demons no longer needed mages in order to menace the world, so perhaps the natural response was to ally with those who knew best how to fight against them?

As they boarded the ship, Heike mentally calculated his savings. He could go soon. 

+++

 _The Inquisition_. It was a powerful name. It stirred that little righteous voice inside his breast. Heike packed his bags and bid his landlady goodbye, making his way down to the docks. Clara, Kerrik, Sean, Shay, and Edgar were all waiting for him. Shock coursed through him. "D-did you all take the day off just to wish me goodbye?" he stammered.

"Of course. We're your friends, even when you're making dumb choices," Clara said, stepping forward to hug him. Kerrik and the others piled on after her. 

"We'll miss you, Heike," Edgar said. "Don't die."

Heike laughed. "I've lived this long, haven't I? But if I ever find myself at the wrong end of a blade, I'll inform my would-be killer that Edgar told me not to die." 

"Ass," Edgar said, but it was fond. 

Shay ruffled Heike's hair. "Take care of yourself, kid."

The sea hair was crisp and the ocean was calm. As it pulled out of the port, Heike couldn't help but stare back at the city, looking for black hair and a tattooed face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy New Year! The next update will be January 16th. :D


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anlei hurts, and strikes out.

The first morning after returning to his clan, Anlei woke, confused why he was alone in his bedroll. Remembering _hurt_. He tried to push it aside by working—the camp was bustling as everyone prepped to leave after all—but each moment Anlei stopped to rest and his thoughts wandered, he found himself staring at Heike's face. 

It was Suka who caught him brooding. He'd gone a little ways into the woods, far enough away that the noises from the camp were muffled enough for him to gather his thoughts. "Anlei, what's wrong?" she asked, sitting down beside him. "Ever since you got back you've been… well, you're usually quiet, but _unusually_ quiet. Is everything okay?"

Anlei shrugged. 

"So, that's a 'no' then," she said, putting an arm around him. "Is it about that traveler?"

He leaned into her hug, resting his head on her shoulder, answering without words.

"Oh, lethallin…" She hugged him tightly. "I'm sorry. He did seem like a very nice man. Maybe you'll see each other again someday."

Anlei shook his head. "No, it's best if we don't. If it came down to it, I'd be left with a choice between him and the clan, and I… I can't do that. I won't. Better for it to be over now."

She stroked his hair. "Maybe we'll find another clan while we travel. You could meet someone new."

"Maybe," Anlei agreed, but his heart wasn't in it. He didn't want someone new. 

Suka might have picked up on that, because she didn't say anything more, just combed her fingers through his hair as they looked out into the woods beyond, the mask of Fen'Harel creaking in the evening's breeze.

+++

Travel was good. Travel kept Anlei busy. He and the hunters acted as scouts, as well as making sure the clan stores were kept up. He felt the absence of Hanin, Saren, and Taeron still, as did the other hunters. Anlei had informed the Keeper about the explosion, and also about the survivor. She had decided to hold off a funeral until it was certain who was dead. 

When he was exhausted from travel and late night watches, Anlei could sleep without feeling the phantom warmth of a human hand or gentle, teasing kisses. 

If the Keeper noticed his increased reticence, she didn't comment on it. He didn't know if that made him feel better or worse. Most of his clanmates either didn't notice the shift in him, or didn't care. Suka sat with him and distracted him when she could, but she couldn't stave off the feelings of isolation by herself. 

Bitterness began to grow as the days turned to weeks. He was _suffering_ , _suffocating_ under the weight of this, this ill-wanted obsession with a _shemlen_ , of all things, but it was like his clanmates couldn't be bothered to care.

(Later, he would reflect upon this time, and note that perhaps by keeping his life as normal and routine as they could, they were trying to help him settle back into normalcy—that it was courtesy, rather than a lack of caring. But he was hurt and angry, and such feelings do not lend themselves much to seeking to understand others.)

He and Ionne were hunting together when the stranger approached them. He was an elf, but not Dalish. A pin with an eye motif held his cloak shut at the shoulder. Ionne raised her bow. "What brings you here, stranger?" she asked.

"I seek Clan Lavellan," the man said quickly, bowing.

"And who are you to seek it?" she asked.

"You may call me Tailor. I come as a messenger from the Inquisition in the South. We were contacted by your Keeper, inquiring about one of your clan who has joined us. Could I speak with Keeper Istimaethoriel?"

Ionne squinted at him, but lowered her bow. "We shall ask. Come, lethallin." She nodded to Anlei, who nodded in return and fell behind the messenger, watching the man's back. 

When the man approached the Keeper, he did so respectfully, offering cloth, weapons, and tools as a gift from the Inquisition. The Keeper inspected them with a careful eye, then waved for Elros to take the bundles to her aravel. "Your gift is appreciated, Tailor," she said. "And Clan Lavellan gives its thanks. So, you have news of our sister. May I ask her name?"

"Eloni, Keeper. She bade me carry a message from her personally." The man, Tailor, held out a neatly folded sheet of vellum. The Keeper took it with a nod and tucked it into the front of her wrap.

There was a rush of whispers that went through the gathered clansmen. Anlei felt anger flush his body. _Eloni,_ the Keeper's First, had abandoned the Creators in favor of the shemlen Maker. That, or she was being held hostage for unknown reasons. Anlei didn't know which option made him angrier. 

The Keeper's voice cut into his roiling thoughts. "Is she the only one to survive?" 

The messenger bowed his head. "As far as we are aware, Keeper. We are deeply sorry for your loss."

She nodded. "I thank you for bringing us this news. I cannot imagine it was an easy journey, given the state of things." She waved to two of the children who had been foraging that week. "Bring us some of the blood lotus you found." They nodded and scurried off, returning with the bundle. "Here, a return gift from Clan Lavellan. Also, if you please, allow me to pen a letter to Eloni."

"Of course, Keeper." Tailor made himself comfortable by the fire as the Keeper returned to her aravel, and the others to their evening routines. Anlei, however, approached him. His anger frothed. If Eloni were the sole survivor, that meant Hanin and Saren and Taeron were _dead_ , and Eloni was playing the part of shemlen _puppet_. 

"Could you take me with you?" he asked softly, keeping his voice level, his anger checked. "I wish to meet with Eloni in person."

The man mirrored his whisper. "Will your Keeper approve of such a thing?" 

"I doubt it. We will not tell her."

Tailor regarded him warily. "Will this be construed as the Inquisition kidnapping you?"

"I will leave a message with one of my clanmates. Neither you nor your organization will be implicated."

After a long moment of deliberation, Tailor nodded. "Very well. When I leave, I will linger. Meet me after dark and we will travel together."

Anlei nodded and went to the craftsmen's aravel, where he found Suka making baby clothing. That's right, Vehra was expecting. Anlei was a bit sorry he'd miss it. Suka was alone under the awning, so Anlei sat beside her. "I'm going with the Inquisition messenger," he said into her ear.

She stared at him in shock. " _Why?_ " she hissed. 

"I need to talk to Eloni. I don't like this whole thing. It doesn't smell right. _Eloni_ , converting to the whole Maker thing?"

Her voice continued to be a low, steady whisper. "Yeah, it's strange, but, _Anlei_. You can't just run off. The Keeper will be beside herself with worry."

"That's why you'll tell her what I did after I'm gone."

"I'm not your messenger! If you're going to do this, you have to face her yourself." Her green eyes flashed dangerously. Anlei didn't doubt she'd frog-march him to the Keeper's aravel herself. Or at least she'd try to. Anlei was probably stronger, but… He eyed the needles in her hands. She followed his gaze, and shifted her grip to something better suited to stabbing.

"Fine," Anlei muttered.

He went to the Keeper's aravel. She was sitting at her desk, writing. Probably her return letter to Eloni. Anlei lingered at the entrance, until her eyes raised, acknowledging him. "Come in, Anlei. This is your home as much as it is mine."

He fiddled with his bags, packing his things. Eventually, the Keeper put her pen down. "What do you need, da'len?"

Anlei fidgeted uncomfortably with his quiver, the shem-made arrows stark beside his normal ones. "I want to see Eloni."

"As do we all. It's a pity she could not come with her messenger."

"Keeper, I'm going to go see her."

She sighed as if she'd been expecting his words. "You would leave an old woman alone, without her children? We have already lost so many to the South, including Eloni. You would add yourself?"

"I fear for her, Keeper. She's lost her kin and her _wife_ , and now she's surrounded by religious shemlen who see her as some sort of holy savior. I could not allow myself to see her suffer that without someone from the clan at her side." He sighed and rubbed his mouth. "Even if it's just me," he finished softly.

He could imagine her isolation—he thought it probably felt a lot like his own.

Keeper Deshanna sighed and stood up, folding Anlei into her arms. "Oh, da'len, you truly love him, don't you?"

He shook her off, feeling angry. He refused to love him. "This has nothing to do with him. He's _nothing_. This is about concern for my lethallan, my _sister_ , as you are so fond of calling her." 

The Keeper nodded, but he could tell she didn't believe him. "Very well, Anlei. I give you my permission to go. See our lethallan, and assuage her loneliness." She plucked her letter off the desk and ducked it into Anlei's belt. "Travel safely. May Ghilan'nain's blessing guide your path."

"Thank you, Keeper. Sylaise's fire keep you safe."

+++

He didn't want a scene with the whole clan wishing him farewell, so he decided to slip away after dark, just like they'd planned. The night air was cool against his face as he checked his supplies one more time and adjusted the bow on his back. The camp was quiet.

But before he left, there was a hand on his shoulder. Anlei turned, expecting the Keeper or Suka, but instead it was Elros, Eloni's father. "The Keeper told me what you're doing," he said. "Please, take this to Eloni." He pressed an ironbark necklace into Anlei's hand. 

Anlei knew that it had belonged to his grandmother, before she had joined Clan Lavellan. "Elros, she'd want you to keep this," he said, trying to give it back, but Elros refused it. 

"I want her to have a token to remember her old father by," he said with a sad smile. "Tell her I miss her and that she is loved."

After another moment's hesitation, Anlei pulled the leather band over his head, gripping the pendent as it fell against his chest. "I will keep it safe."

"You're a good lad," Elros said, patting the top of Anlei's head. "Ghilan'nain guide you safely."

Anlei met Tailor at the edge of camp.

"Any problems?" he asked.

Anlei shook his head. "No. Your organization will be blamed for no kidnapping."

The messenger smiled a bit, adjusting the pin holding his cape, before sweeping the fabric aside and beginning to walk toward the edge of the brush. "Then we depart. Have you been on a ship before?"

"Only on a dock," Anlei said, walking beside him.

"Then you'd best pray to whichever god suits it best that you don't suffer seasickness. The Waking Sea is not kind to first-time sailors."

They departed from Hercinia, because it was closest. Anlei almost wished they had gone to Wycome, at least so he could've said goodbye.

+++

The Waking Sea was indeed not kind. Anlei could barely remember what it was like to not feel his stomach roiling. The seasoned sailors laughed at him, though one kind human recommended he keep his eye to the horizon as much as he could. Tailor gave him some sort of candied root. It was spicy and not too pleasant to eat, but it did take the edge off a bit.

Anlei was grateful for the help, but he wanted nothing more than to feel solid ground beneath him again. Nights were the worst. Lying horizontal did nothing to help the spinning, sick feeling, nor did being down in the hold with the other sleeping sailors. 

When the ship docked in Jader, nearly two weeks later, Anlei had never been happier to see unfamiliar shemlen. Tailor brought him to an inn, where they met with two human men, one with dark skin, the other pale, both wearing the Inquisition pins somewhere on their armor.

"Call me Thornton," the dark one said, holding out a hand to shake. 

"Hall. Aneth ara," the pale one said. He tapped his chest in a gesture familiar to Anlei, who tilted his head.

"Aneth ara," he returned. "How did you come to learn Elven?"

Hall rubbed his nose, his facial hair twitching. "A Dalish hunter sheltered me when I was young. The clan allowed me to stay until I was grown."

Anlei nodded. "That was kind of them."

The man shrugged. "I wish they had let me stay, to be honest. It's not like I had anywhere else to go." He shook his head. "Sorry, old grievances."

"It's fine." Anlei tried to imagine the man younger, beardless, but perhaps beginning to grow his adult hair elsewhere—no longer a child, but still young. If Anlei were the Keeper, would he have turned that boy out? He didn't know.

Tailor turned to them after talking with Thornton. "Anlei, Hall will take you to Haven. Thornton and I have other work to do."

Hall brought Anlei up to his room and Anlei was surprised by how glad he was to see a stiff, unmoving bed. He collapsed into it, quickly falling asleep, only to be woken in the night by the loud snoring of the human in the next bed. 

Anlei sighed and rolled onto his other side, pulling the blankets up over his head to try and block out the noise.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hoo boy, so uh, I'm still working on Chapter 11. I know where it's going but it's going very slowly. Hopefully I'll still be able to get 11 out on January 30th, but if not, watch this space!
> 
> Update 1/31: Still writing Chapter 11 :( I will try to get it up by Friday! (I have some of 12 already planned, but 11 is just flowing like molasses uphill in the cold...)


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Heike joins the Inquisition.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My sincerest apologies for the wait! I don't know why this chapter decided to completely drag my ass but it did. I hope you enjoy!

Ferelden was _cold_. Heike had known it, had been warned of it. And yet, it still caught him wrong-footed. It was a damp cold that crept into his very bones, until even sitting by a fire, he didn't feel warm. 

The Frostbacks loomed above him, paths winding and twisted, roads little traveled. And now… As he walked toward Haven, he saw the charred remains of trees and buildings, the ashes of funeral pyres—the remnants of the explosion and subsequent battle against the wave of demons.

Above him, the heavens were scarred by a jagged spike of light, sickly green against the sky. 

After two days of slow, cold travel, he encountered a woman who'd made camp near the path. Her skin and hair were dark, even lit by the little fire she was poking at with the tip of a stick. She looked up as Heike approached, and the fire lit her pale, coppery eyes. "Can I help you?" she asked, her voice low and rich.

"I'm traveling to Haven," Heike explained. "I'm Heike."

"Catia," she said, and looked back to her fire, before breaking the stick over her knee and tossing the pieces inside. "It seems we find ourselves going the same way."

"Perhaps we could travel together?" Heike suggested.

Catia shrugged and gestured across the fire. "I have no objection."

Heike sat, placing his pack down with a groan. "So, are you from Ferelden?" he asked her.

She snorted, gesturing to her face. "Do I look Fereldan to you, boy?" she asked.

Heike shrugged. "You could be of Chasind descent, or perhaps your family emigrated from other places. I try not to assume."

The look she gave him was inscrutable. "I'm Rivaini," she said after a pause. 

"Why Haven?" he asked.

She produced a long pipe from her bag, tapping it against the rock she was sitting on before filling it and lighting it. Taking a long draw, she slowly let the smoke leak out of her mouth and nose into the night air. "The Herald interests me," she said. "She's an elf and a mage, and has allied herself with the Rebellion. As a supporter of said Rebellion, it seemed to me that this was a good place to be to effect some real change. You?"

Heike frowned. "Just… a feeling, I guess. I'm from the Anderfels, and when I heard about the Conclave, I wanted to go. But I got stuck in the Marches due to high demand and low funds. By the time I had the money…" He gestured around at the burned, charred surroundings. "But I want to help, if I can. I think the fact the Maker brought us this Herald is a sign the Chantry has lost its path. I'd like to help right that path, if I can."

"Noble, if naive," Catia said, blowing a smoke ring toward him. 

"I hope we both find what we're looking for," Heike said, feeding a stick into the fire. 

"Damn straight, kid."

+++

Haven was a flurry of activity. Heike was disappointed to learn that the Herald was currently away, making last minute preparations to properly seal the Breach with the mages' help. Still, busy meant there was plenty to do. Heike was quickly introduced to Scout Harding, a dwarf woman who was in charge of, well, scouting.

"We need runners to the various camps the Inquisition maintains around the Fereldan hinterlands," she explained. "Could you help with that?"

Heike nodded, smiling. "Yes, of course, whatever is needed."

"You can navigate okay, right? With a map?"

Heike thought about his adventures—er, _mis_ adventures in the Marches. His gaze skittered away. "Yes?"

She gave him a wry look. "You have a terrible sense of direction, don't you?"

With a sigh, Heike held out his hands. "Guilty."

She laughed. "Well, I'm sure we need runners for within Haven as well. Talk to Charter. She usually lurks around the tavern. Elf, reddish-blonde hair, lots of freckles."

"Yes, ma'am." Heike touched his fingers to his head before jogging down to the tavern. 

He did in fact find Charter, who in turn sent him to the quartermaster, Threnn. And just like that, he had a job.

Haven was a wonder, even if the village itself wasn't much to look upon. It was a mountain village, no more, no less. It definitely hadn't been meant to support an organization like the Inquisition, but they were making it work as best they could. 

As a runner, he got to know many people by face, if not by name. He tried not to gawk at the more foreign recruits, but the massive Qunari who often hung out by the blacksmith was attention-grabbing. 

Heike suspected the man recognized his face, because the third or fourth time he caught himself staring, the Qunari had turned and met his gaze with a disarmingly charming smile. Heike was extra mindful of his staring after that. 

Another curiosity was the Tevinter altus—definitely not a sight Heike had expected to see in Ferelden at all, let alone as a part of a religious organization. Still the man wasn't rude or aggressively foul as other altuses Heike had encountered (pompous, rude, entitled, overdressed asses passing through on their way to "better places"), so he supposed he was fine.

Like other recent recruits, Heike stayed in a tangled city of tents, mixed in with greenhorn soldiers, shivering apostates, and vigilant ex-templars. His tent was shared with a mage, formerly of the Ostwick Circle, named Rion, who spent much of his free time watching the ex-templars with as much wary suspicion as they gave him. 

The tension from the alliance with the Rebellion was clear everywhere. The mages mostly clustered together, keeping their tents separated from the rest, and the guards and soldiers of Haven seemed afraid to go too close.

Heike, who didn't fear as much as the others due to his experiences with Edgar, became the de facto mage runner, and found himself speaking with the former Grand Enchanter on more than one occasion. She was disarmingly short, even for an elf, but she had a presence and power that belied her size. Her messages were often short, usually requests to the quartermaster for blankets, additional food, or, a few times, for lyrium. 

The first time Heike had held one of the little philters, he felt like he was holding something dangerous. This glowing blue bottle was worth serious gold, and sustained the dwarven criminal enterprise, the Carta. The fact that he was entrusted to deliver it, even just across the little town of Haven, made him feel incredibly important.

He delivered it promptly and the Grand Enchanter gave him a genuine smile. 

That night in the tavern, Heike encountered a familiar face.

"Catia, right?" he asked, sitting down across from her. 

She nodded and took a long sip of her drink. "Heike. How have you been, boy?"

"Well enough. I'm a messenger, which isn't incredibly exciting, but it feels good to help, you know?"

Catia waved toward the bar, gesturing toward him to the bartender before turning back to him. "I know the feeling."

"What have you been up to? This is the first I've seen of you since arriving."

Catia smiled as the bartender arrived with two drinks. "Thank you, Flissa. I've been working with the Sister Nightingale."

Heike was a little awed. He'd seen the Left Hand of the Divine _around_ of course, but he'd never spoken to her or tried to catch her attention at all—she was incredibly intimidating. "How is she?"

Catia chuckled at something she saw in his face and leaned back in her chair, eyes drifting to the ceiling. "She's shrewd for one. Don't think I've ever met someone quite so sharp, in many senses of the word. And her people are no joke. She's trained them well. But you shouldn't feel bad being a messenger." She sipped her beer. "A crooked messenger can do more damage than almost anyone else, even if you're just using them to deliver sealed and coded messages."

Heike hadn't considered that. He smiled. "That means you think I'm trustworthy," he said.

She thought a moment, then nodded. "I think so. I've learned to trust my instincts, and you don't raise any worries."

"Are there people here who do?"

Catia snorted. "Most people do. Everyone has an agenda, especially those who claim they don't."

"So you're saying I'm simple," Heike said.

She smiled, and something on the edges of it made Heike's spine tingle uncomfortably. "I'd probably use the word 'guileless'. It's not a bad thing, just unusual." Tipping the mug back, Catia finished her drink. "I'll treat you to a meal, messenger. The Herald will be back in Haven tomorrow morning."

This time it was excitement that set Heike's spine alight.

+++

He hardly slept, and jumped awake at the sound of the horn and subsequent activity around him. Quickly brushing through his hair and tying it back out of his face, Heike left the tent and joined the people who were gathering at the entrance of Haven. 

And there she was, astride a beautiful horse, her black hair gleaming in the sunlight. Her vallaslin was red, painted over her prominent cheekbones and down over her rounded chin. Riding beside her was another elf, this one pale-skinned and bare of markings—and hair. He didn't look Dalish, though he didn't look like a city elf either. On her other side, a bearded bear of a man with padded armor, and following behind, another elf, this one blonde and clearly unhappy. 

The last elf quickly peeled off and stalked into the tavern, and the man followed quickly behind. The Herald and the other elf dismounted and walked up toward the Chantry, heads ducked together while they spoke. 

Heike wanted to approach her, but… what could he really say? 'Hello, Your Worship. I met your clan. They're very nice. I kissed one of them at lot and now I'm here.'? No, there was no need to turn himself into that much of a simpleton. 

Instead, he followed the other elf and the human man into the tavern. He spotted them easily, drinking at a table near the door. The elf woman (girl?) was dressed in a catastrophe of colors and patterns that had no business being stitched together, her blonde hair was cut in chunks like she'd done it herself without looking in a mirror. 

They were much more approachable than the Herald. He bought them drinks from Flissa and walked over with two mugs of beer. They looked at him as he arrived at the table. "Those for us?" the elf asked. Her eyes narrowed. "Why?"

"Just wanted to make some new friends," Heike said with a smile, setting the mugs down. "If that's okay. I'm Heike."

"Sera. And this is Blackwall," she said, thumbing toward her companion. " _He's_ a Grey Warden." She sounded proud.

"Oh? Have you been to Weisshaupt?" Heike asked, eager to speak to someone who knew the Anderfels beyond 'that religious place where the Warden fortress is'.

"Not for a long time, I'm afraid," Blackwall said, sipping his beer. 

"Damn. It's tough being the only Ander in this country," he said with a sigh. "May I sit?"

"Go ahead," Sera said with a wave of her hand. "What brought you all the way out here? The Divine's Conclave thing?"

"Sort of." Heike told the story, skipping through most of his interactions with Anlei, but leaving that he spent some time with the Herald's clan. "What's she like anyway?"

Sera sneered and finished her beer. " _Elfy_ ," she said with disdain. "All 'we were so great _before_ ' and 'if only we knew about _Halamshiral_ and _Arlathan._ '" She rolled her eyes. "What about us _now_ , you know? We can be great _now_ , if we just stop gettin' all sucked into the past like it _means_ something."

"There's value in tradition, but I do see your point," Heike said, rubbing his chin. "Elves certainly have had a rough lot in life the ages that have passed, but at the end of the day, dwelling on that won't improve anyone's lives."

"Exactly! You get it! She and Solas are all up their own asses about how great elves _were_ , but they don't friggin' care about elves that don't shuck off their shoes and go pray to whatever demons old elves thought we gods."

"So you don't believe they were gods?"

Sera snorted. "Why would I? S'just a bunch of demons. Andraste and the Maker and stuff, those make _sense_. So obviously, the old gods were just demons or spirits or whatever. I dunno."

"You know, I heard that the Herald was a convert. Is that not true?"

With a laugh, Sera waved at one of the servers for another round of beers. "No, that's all Josie's doing. With Her Heraldness's permission, of course. But it's all a front."

"Rather duplicitous." Heike thanked the woman for the drinks and took a swig. 

"You're telling me. But I guess I get it. This whole Inquisition thing probably wouldn't go anywhere if people didn't think the Herald was actually _the Herald_ , you know? But I don't have to like it."

"Why are you here then?"

She wiped her lips with the back of her arm. "To help the little folks, of course. And keep an eye on things. Make sure no one's gettin' mistreated or nothing. You?"

Heike sipped his beer. "I don't know. It _feels_ right? I think we're at a turning point of history, and that I'm supposed to be here. Maybe it's the Maker's hand, I don't really know." 

The fact that the Herald wasn't actually Andrastian settled strangely in his stomach. But that alone didn't mean that the Maker was absent from this endeavor. Even the Archon Hessarian needed time to find the Maker's light in His Bride, after all. 

Sera made a thoughtful noise. "Yeah, it _feels right_ , bein' here. Even if Her Heraldness is a stuck-up prig sometimes. Solas doesn't help." She rolled her eyes.

"Is that the man she was with?"

Sera nodded. "Yeah. He's the king of elfy. Blah blah weird words blah blah. He keeps trying to make me learn, like _these_ words aren't hard enough!" She ground the bottom of her mug into the grain of the wood. 

" _C'est difficile pour toi de comprendre, hein?_ " Blackwall said with a slightly snide smile.

"Oh don't you even start with the Orlais crap!" she cried, smacking his arm, but the smile that followed was fond. 

Heike smiled too. " _Es gibt viele Sprachen auf der Welt, weißt du?_ " he said, hiding his grin behind his mug.

"AHHH!" Sera smacked him too, and soon the table was filled with laughter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'll be in Japan until the 27th, so I honestly don't know when Chapter 12 will be written and posted. [Follow me on tumblr](http://cherrymilkshake.tumblr.com/) and don't be afraid to nudge me if you feel like it's been too long, haha! For a fic like this, I know I'm not gonna be deluged with readers, so I'm happy to talk to the five-ish readers there are. :P
> 
> Happy Valentine's Day! Sorry it couldn't be a kissy chapter, lol


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anlei arrives at Haven and the Breach is closed.

The air was thin in Haven, and yet it was filled with the semi-familiar scents of what shemlen deemed 'civilization'—the tang of iron and rot, the earthiness of quarried stone and horse, so different from the lacquered wood of the aravels and green smell of the forest or plains. 

The path up to the town had been treacherous, littered with the charred remains of the explosion that caused the pulsing, glowing hole in the world, and the bodies of those who had not been lucky enough to escape the demons.

Anlei stared up at what Hall called 'the Breach', transfixed by the swirling mass. "Don't stare too long," Hall warned in a gruff voice. "I've heard tale it starts trying to consume you."

With a shudder, he looked away, focusing on the repetitive clanging of the blacksmith, hard at work.

"Come on. Let's see if the Herald can meet with you."

As they walked through the throngs of people, Anlei picked out those that seemed unusual. There were a few people in armor that must have belonged to the templars, if the Keeper had been accurate in her descriptions. Among the rows of tents, Anlei spotted several people wearing baggy robes and carrying staves, the marks of a Circle mage.

There were hardly any Elvhen faces, and those he did see were bare. His face seemed to burn beneath his vallaslin, as if it were glowing, obvious. Several people looked at him as he passed, dropping into hushed conversation as he moved on. They climbed a set of stairs, where a red-haired woman was talking with a horned giant, his gray, pointed face bright as he laughed. 

_That must be a Qunari,_ Anlei thought, asking himself how such a large person could even exist in the world. It was a wonder the earth did not sink beneath what must be such a heavy weight. 

The woman and Qunari turned as Hall approached, lowering his hood. "Charter, did you receive word from Tailor?"

She nodded and clapped her hands together. "I did. Is this him?" Clever eyes flickered over Anlei's face. "Anlei, wasn't it?"

He bowed his head a bit, unsure of what rank this woman was. "Yes." 

"You can call me Charter. The Herald is currently away, finishing up some business in the Hinterlands, but the Spymaster and Ambassador agreed she wouldn't mind you bunking in her cabin. This way. Thank you, Hall."

"Aye," he said simply, and replaced his hood. "Dareth shiral." This he directed to Anlei, before walking away toward a cluster of cabins.

Charter showed Anlei to another small cabin, furnished simply. "This is where the Herald's been laying her head while she's here. We put a cot in for you." She pointed to a wooden frame with a thin bed mat. "Would you prefer to wait here in Haven or would you want to be put to work?"

Anlei thought of the human stares and attention and said, "Work. Please."

She smiled. "Then let's get you connected to the hunters. We'll set it up with the quartermaster."

And they were back in the village.

The quartermaster was a taciturn but competent human woman, who gave Anlei a rundown of the local fauna and what Haven needed most. "Rams are the best, if you can bring them down. Avoid the druffalo. They have plenty of meat and fur, but it'd be a fool's errand to take one on your own. Any rabbits and fowl you can catch would also be appreciated."

Anlei nodded and struck out through the gates into the snowy wilds, happy to be properly alone for the first time in his long journey. 

+++

He returned later that night with two rams, carried with the help of another of the Inquisition's human hunters he'd met. The quartermaster gave both an approving smile and pointed them toward the tavern, handing them each a small copper coin. "Good for a meal on me," she explained.

The hunter showed him down to the building, then split off to sit with some of her companions. Anlei got his meal and settled at a small table by the fire, watching the humans around him. Most were pale-skinned and ruddy, with blond or brown hair, but there was at least one darker-skinned man sitting at the bar, smiling as he chatted with the red-haired human woman behind it. He had interesting facial hair; more styled than the other human men he'd seen with it. 

Anlei watched him for a while, for lack of anything else interesting, until it seemed his stare drew the man's attention. When the man turned and gave him a smile, Anlei quickly dropped his head, ears burning. He pushed his food around with the spoon, as if it were deeply fascinating. When he chanced a glance back up, the dark-skinned man was back to talking with the bartender and Anlei's heartbeat settled. 

He kept his head down the rest of the meal, and left quickly, making his way back to Eloni's cabin. It was peaceful there at least, though it didn't look much like her. When he thought of Eloni, he thought of the musty smell of old parchment and the colors of faded, age-delicate cloth, layered for warmth and for the play of colors as light streamed through the aravel windows. He thought of the faint lightning smell of magic and the rustle and scratch of research. 

This cabin had none of those things. It was starkly shemlen. 

He lay in his cot and felt the day's aches and pains, reminders of his long journey, and thought about what he'd say when Eloni returned.

+++

The morning broke with the echoing bellow of a horn in the distance. The village awoke in a flurry of activity. Anlei stepped outside, looking for anyone to ask. He saw a dark-skinned human woman with red hair leaning against a fence, looking down at the rest of the village. 

"Excuse me," Anlei said. "Do you know why the horn sounded?"

"The Herald's returning," she explained, giving him a look up and down. "Considering you came out of her cabin, I'm assuming you're her clansman? The Sister Nightingale mentioned you."

Anlei nodded. "Yes, that's me. I'm Anlei."

"Catia." The woman shook his hand, then looked back out over the village. "There's her retinue," she said, pointing toward the village gates. "You going to meet her at the entrance?"

"No, I'll let her finish her business first."

"Good lad." She nodded approvingly. "I'll let the Sister know to send her over to the cabin when she's finished with the debriefing."

"I appreciate that, thank you, Catia."

Pushing herself off the fence, she gave him a toothy, unsettling smile. "No problem, kid." Despite her boots, her steps made no sound on the hard, frozen ground as she walked off toward the large building that could only be the Chantry. 

Anlei stayed outside the cabin, watching Eloni enter the village astride a handsome horse, deep in conversation with a bald, bare-faced man. Even from a distance, he could see she'd lost weight, her cheekbones jutting out of her normally-round face, her arms spindly as she raised them to wave at the gathered crowd. 

As she stabled the horses and began walking through the town, Anlei stepped inside the cabin to wait. 

He didn't have to do so for long. Within a half hour, the door opened and Eloni stood there, somehow both familiar and a stranger. Her golden-brown eyes were wondering. "I almost didn't believe them," she said softly, closing the door behind her.

Anlei rose, extending his arms. "It has been too long, lethallan."

Eloni smiled and stepped into his embrace, holding him tightly. "Oh, Anlei, you do not understand how good it is to see you. How did you convince the Keeper to let you come?"

"Wait, before we exchange stories." Anlei pulled Elros' necklace over his head and offered it. "Your father insisted on sending this along."

Tears washed over her eyes as she held the ironbark charm. "Oh Babae… He shouldn't have." But despite her words, she put it on, cradling the pendant with one hand. "But tell me everything. Did the Breach cause any problems?"

Anlei waved toward the bed. "Come, let us sit. I imagine we will talk for a long time."

And they did. Anlei recounted the happenings of Clan Lavellan, from the major to the mundane, until his voice tired from exertion. "But what of you? How did you survive the explosion?"

Eloni sighed, closing her eyes briefly. "They tell me I was in the Beyond, but I do not remember. All I recall is slipping down a quiet hallway in the great temple where they were holding the talks, leaving Taeron and… and Hanin at the end as a watch. I just wanted to poke around for anything out of place, some hidden trap, from either side. I remember looking back at Hanin, indicating silently that I'd heard a voice." She mimicked the motion, tapping her ear twice, nodding her head. "And then… nothing. I woke in chains, in the Chantry here, _this_ on my hand."

She held out her left hand and pulled off the glove that covered it. Cutting across her palm was a jagged, lightning-shaped scar, glowing the violent green of the Breach and its children. "Can I…?" His fingers hovered over it, waiting for permission.

She nodded and he touched the mark. It flared at the contact, crackling against his skin without pain. The sharp smell of magic hit his nose with a wash of familiarity. 

"What is it?"

She shook her head. "They say it is a blessing from the Maker." At this, she rolled her eyes. "But Solas and I—did you see him? The bald man in the traveler's clothes?—we think it may be Elvhen in origin. Apparently it resembles some whisper of ancient magic he's encountered in the Beyond. After we close the Breach, he and I will try to probe deeper."

"Is that wise?" Anlei asked, his brow creasing.

She smiled without mirth. "Probably not, but I certainly don't want to give thanks to some absent, human god when I could be properly thanking the Creators."

Anlei breathed out a sigh of relief. "Oh, praise Them, you really haven't converted. I was worried."

She patted his cheek. "Now, now, you know me better than that, lethallin. I play at piety because the humans expect it. It brings people to our cause, and for now, we need the feet on the ground. But when this is over, I will return to the clan and resume my role as First. Is Pivin doing well in his training?" 

Anlei shrugged. "The Keeper is certainly overseeing it, but I have no way of understanding if he's succeeding or failing."

Eloni pinched the tip of his ear, but she was smiling. "Useless boy. But I am happy to see you. We shall march upon the Breach the day after tomorrow, my people and the rebel mages. With a bit of luck and the blessing of Elgar'nan, I may be able to start making my way home soon. This mark can close the rifts in the world. I can make the hunting ground near Wycome safe again."

Anlei felt a smile grow on his face before he could stop it.

She narrowed her eyes. "Ohh, what's got you so excited about that?" Her voice was shrewd. 

"Nothing. Just a nice hunting ground is all." He kept his gaze firmly on the wall, feeling the weight of her stare.

"Mmhm." She didn't sound convinced. "Well, when you feel like telling me, I'll be here." Placing both palms on her knees, she stood and offered a hand. "Come, join me for dinner." 

He took it. "You only have to ask."

+++

The next day, Eloni spent much of the morning and afternoon locked away in the Chantry, planning with the Inquisition's advisors. Anlei went hunting again, enjoying the ease of spotting a ram's black horns against the white snow, but not enjoying the clamminess of his toes.

Upon his return in the evening, he sat with Eloni as she introduced him to Solas over dinner. He was a proper hahren, Anlei thought, well-spoken and full of knowledge. Though Anlei didn't have much to discuss with him. Solas seemed more interested in magic and the Beyond, not in the nuance of shortbow versus long, or the importance of using a sapling with the right amount of spring when making a bow for yourself—things that Anlei knew and understood. 

Still, Eloni and he got on well, though he noticed Solas looking at her with a certain… fascination. As they walked back to the cabin, he leaned into her, speaking quietly. "He seems _interested_ in you, lethallan."

"He should be, I've certainly flirted enough." But her expression had grown hard. 

"Eloni…" 

"Don't. It's harmless flirting, Anlei. It makes me feel well and whole and unbroken. Let me have that, okay?"

He worried his lip, thinking of Hanin, of how hurt she would be to be forgotten so quickly. "I. I don't understand, but okay. I will not interfere."

She patted his cheek. "Good boy. Let's go to sleep. I must wake early and make sure everything is going as planned."

Anlei didn't sleep well that night. He sat on the cot, watching Eloni sleep, thinking about mourning and about moving forward. If he saw Heike again, would it be a joyous reunion, a continuation of before? Or would it be seeing a stranger in a lover's face, a freezing realization that Anlei wasn't worth the effort of waiting?

He buried his face in his hands, curling forward. He couldn't be with him, regardless. To imagine a reunion or a future was only courting despair. And yet his fantasies plagued him, piercing his dreams with longing that kept deep sleep away.

Eloni kissed his temple, half-waking him before she left in the pale light of dawn. "Wish us well, lethallin. Varric promised good alcohol for the victory party."

"Elgar'nan bring you victory, lethallan," he murmured.

"Ma serannas, Anlei." 

The door closed and he was alone. 

+++

The day passed agonizingly slowly as the residents of Haven anxiously waited for the Herald's victory—or failure. Then, as morning gave way to afternoon, everyone watched as a streak of golden-green light shot into the sky, into the center of the Breach. Slowly, the clouds shifted, and the hole shrank away, leaving only a pale green scar. 

After a moment of stunned shock, a cheer echoed through the village. People began playing music and passing around drinks, singing the praises of their Maker and of Eloni. Soon, he was pulled into the throng of revelers, unable to stop the smile on his face. 

When Eloni and the mages returned, the party grew even more raucous. The Qunari began a drinking contest, challenging the soldiers to best him. Anlei smiled as he watched, nursing a mug of his own. Eloni herself didn't dance—which told Anlei how much she missed Hanin more than anything else—but she did stand overlooking the revels, smiling down. Anlei, perched on a haybale in front of another cabin, smiled back at her. 

Afternoon gave way to evening, and many people were sitting, enjoying the feeling of victory and relief. Anlei caught a glimpse of golden hair across the crowded square that caused his heart to stutter, but he shook his head, looking down and sipping his drink. Heike wasn't here. He was still in Wycome. There were other golden-haired humans here. 

From outside the walls, a bell began to clang, and the celebration turned sour. 

"Enemies approach!" the soldiers began yelling as they struggled for their weapons. Eloni's commander, a blond human man in a great furry cloak, sprinted down to the gate. Anlei glanced up at Eloni, who nodded to him and darted into her cabin, returning quickly with her staff and his bow, which she tossed to him as she descended the stairs. 

An explosion shuddered through the crowd. The enemy had something to fling boulders. From the breaches in the wall, people wearing the templar armor began streaming in, their eyes and bodies glowing red in the growing darkness. A terrible cry rent the sky and Anlei's gaze was drawn upwards.

Oh, it wasn't something to fling boulders.

It was a dragon. 

Anlei kept to the edges of the village, shooting quickly as he dared around so many civilians. The templars had no such scruples. 

"Focus on their archers!" a woman's voice said from behind him, an arrow whizzing past his ear. He turned to spot the blonde woman in the mismatched clothes before she jumped up on a rooftop and was gone.

It was good advice. He took it. 

The crackle and flash of magic from the gates was surely Eloni and Solas, fighting to stem the tide. He could help to clear the village and protect those who couldn't fight. 

When he began to run low on arrows, Anlei darted out from his hiding spot, gathering what he could from the fallen bodies of friend and foe alike. He looked up as Solas ran past. "Get to the Chantry," he said. "We will gather those still outside."

Anlei nodded and stowed the arrows, running toward the steps. At the top, his heart stopped dead in his chest.

A too familiar human man was fending off two templars with a shining glaive, his golden hair whipping about his head as he moved. Without thinking, Anlei drew and fired, the two templars falling back, arrows sprouting from their necks. Heike turned, his eyes widening.

Another explosion rocked the village. Another breach in the wall. 

"The Chantry!" Anlei cried, and Heike nodded quickly, running for the doors.

Once they were both inside, they clasped hands, staring in twin shock as the world around them faded to mere noise. "I can't believe it," Heike murmured, reaching to take Anlei's face between his hands. "Are you hurt?"

"Nothing more than scrapes and bruises. You?" Anlei glanced down his once-blue clothing, now splotched with red blood. 

"Nothing that won't heal," he said dismissively. "Andraste preserve me, I can't believe you're here."

More people entered the Chantry, wounded and battered. Eloni's commander was pacing, running his fingers through his hair, turning it wild beneath them. Anlei held Heike close and watched. 

Eloni, Solas and two others entered the Chantry. The Commander approached, talking in a low, purposeful voice with her and an injured human man in Chantry robes. Eloni's companions shifted. Solas stayed with her, but the black bear of a human sat heavily against the wall, mopping a handkerchief over what little visible skin there was above his great beard. The blond woman in the mismatched clothes paced around with nervous energy, methodically counting the arrows in her quiver.

Anlei couldn't hear what Eloni and the commander were saying, but Eloni's face was grave. Heike shifted their position, moving behind Anlei so they could still hold hands while they watched the conversation. 

Then, the injured Chantry man, supported by another human in a wide-brimmed hat, began to make his way through the Chantry. Eloni came to Anlei's side. She looked at Heike, raising an eyebrow, but said nothing, turning her attention back to Anlei. 

"Anlei, follow Cullen and Roderick through the Chantry. They will lead you out of Haven."

"And what of you?" Anlei asked. Heike's grip on his hands tightened.

"It's me the enemy wants," she explained, then leaned into his ear. "I may see her soon." Her voice was part despair, part relief. She kissed Anlei's forehead. "Ghilan'nain guide you safely home, lethallin."

"And you, Eloni," he whispered, his voice catching in his throat. 

"This way!" the Commander, Cullen, called, waving toward the other residents of Haven.

Anlei couldn't help but look back as Eloni walked through the great doors and was gone.

+++

The march from Haven was treacherous with ice and heavy with the knowledge of what Eloni was doing. Heike said nothing, holding Anlei's hand tightly as they walked.

As they wound their ways into the mountains, a great rumble shook the earth and they looked back to see an avalanche bury the burning village, leaving only debris and smoke. "Falon'Din, guide her swiftly," Anlei whispered. It was still too dire a situation to cry for lost family, so he turned away and continued following the silent crowd.

When they stopped and made camp some hours later, the advisors were arguing, their voices bouncing, too loud, in the snowy night. Solas and Eloni's two other companions arrived last. Solas was stooped with weariness, his staff less a weapon and more a walking stick. He looked far older than his smooth face would imply. The other two were grave and quiet. In the firelight, Anlei could see the streaks of angry tears on the woman's face.

Heike held Anlei's freezing feet in his hands, rubbing life back into them as the fire crackled. When he could once again move his toes, Anlei pulled them from his grasp, wrapping his arms around Heike's shoulders. "She's gone," he whispered, hoarse, voice like knives in his throat. "I found her, but she's gone."

"Oh, _mein Schatzi_ …" Heike said softly, holding him tightly. "I'm so sorry."

Now, the tears came, his body trembling with sobs. Without another word, Heike held him, rocking gently, until he collapsed across Heike's shoulders, face buried in his neck. "I missed you," Anlei mumbled. 

"I missed you too, Anlei," Heike said, stroking his hair. "I am sorry we couldn't have met sooner. How long were you with the Inquisition?"

"Only a few days. You?"

"About a week. I can't believe we arrived so close together and yet missed each other entirely." His grip around Anlei's waist tightened possessively. 

"Mythal was being cruel," Anlei said, trying for a joke before he remembered that Eloni had pledged herself to Mythal and yet had been abandoned. A statement that should have been light slammed heavily against his heart.

"She was," Heike agreed, as if sensing the change. "She was a good woman. She saved us all."

Anlei nodded, no longer trusting his voice to speak.

+++

It was long after nightfall, when even the moon had tired, when the scouts roused the camp. "The Herald lives!" they cried. "She survived even the burying of Haven!"

"Go help her!" Cullen ordered, scrambling to his feet and running after them, pulling the heavy coat from his shoulders.

He carried her into the camp, wrapped inside it. She was pale and her hair was iced, but she was breathing. She was alive.

Distantly, Anlei could feel Mythal chiding him, as if saying, _Foolish boy. You think I would abandon my daughter?_

He murmured a prayer of thanks and forgiveness, and lurked behind Cullen as he laid Eloni out in the healer's tent, where several people descended upon her. Anlei knew he'd be no help, so when he was assured that she truly was alive, he rushed into Heike's arms and grabbed his head. 

They were overdue for a reunion kiss. 

When they broke apart, some eternities later, it was like no time had passed at all. 

Heike grinned and smoothed the hair off of Anlei's face. "Forgive me, but I didn't quite hear you. Could you repeat that?"

Anlei was more than happy to oblige.

**End of Act 1**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the wait! It is strange to think that the last time this story was updated, I was in South Korea. Now I'm back in the States and have been involved in finding work and making myself at home.
> 
> As you can see, this is the end of Act 1! Act 2 will take place in Skyhold and they'll be doing... something. I haven't quite figured it out yet, so sadly this fic will be on hiatus until then. Still, I hope this reunion tides you over and I thank everyone for reading! This fic got more reception than I'd been expecting and I love every one of you! <3


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